A letter arrives with a Smyrna's stamp.

Senators,

My ship is at anchor at Smyrna for resupply and I can't believe the news I am hearing from Constantinople.

I voted against Caesar Ioannis in the last election, out of fear that he would act not in the interests of the Empire but in the interests of those thta support him, and it seems I am to be proven right.

Senator Machonios have been adequately punished for his violations of our laws. Caesar Ioannis must be impeached for his admitted violations of our sacrosanct rules, violations he admittedly made knowingly.

Caesar Ioannis asks us not to be afraid, but there is cause to be : the Crusade is already on its way and cannot be turned back but what of it when it lands and successfully conquers the cities of Egypt, how will the Caesar ensure that we can build the necessary buildings or pay for the upkeep of the Crusaders ?

How can the Order defend our holdings in the Levant from an Egyptian counter-attack with a single army (and uncomplete to boot) where two are mandated by law ?

The position of Megas Logothetes does not absolve the Caesar of following our laws... Or perhaps is it that the title of Caesar has finally gotten to his head and he sees himself as some of the Roman dictators of the past, the Neros and Caligulas that spelt doom for Rome.

Though I may be absent from the Senate, I plead for the Basileos to call for an Emergency Session so that we can impeach the Caesar and nominate a new Megas more given to fairness and less to power-grubbing.

The cities of Egypt will not be sacked to fill up our emptying coffers.

Strator Methodios Tagaris