The chamber bustled with office workers, rushing to and fro across the marbled floor to the far reaching arms of the state military's capital office. Dispatches and semaphore reports from across the country either passed through this town, or were forwarded from the grand offices at Erschald for review, and each had to be carried, sorted, stored or destroyed by someone in this myriad of collared shirts. One man stood out to the two entering immediately, a broad faced man completely bald and decorated with a thin, curled mustache that only reached such levels of properness through idleness. Ludrick Boyd. He wore the red coat of a high officer, trimmed in white over black pants seemingly common to Arcarti staff. A few colored bits of ribbon decorated his sleeves but the only medal he bore was a large badge on the left breast of his jacket identifying some military honor or another. With a small but genuine smile he strode forward, offering his hand to both men in sequence, starting with Alec to be on the proper side of things. "I trust our sailors and soldiers have treated you well, Lord Cross. The crown welcomes you to Arcartus, and warns you to take care in the rain," He chuckled at the joke, and looked at Milo as well. "And I see one of our new and brightest took you here." He shook his head, "I digress. Mister Cross, shall we talk business here or shall we two retire to my office?"