The Magnaura

[Ibn-Khaldun]

While Kantakouzinos talked, Efstathios' scribe didn't listened him..
Once he heard the screams of Kantakouzinos' scribe his eyes almost popped out and he looked towards Kantakouzinos .. fear in his eyes...

[Warmaster Horus]

Manouelitis' own look echoes that of Efstathios' scribe. He walks out of the room, and returns a few minutes later with a servant of his own. Manouelitis declares:
"This is my assistant, Pavlos. I am leaving for Belgrade, and he shall be my proxy. For now, good day, gentlemen."
This time, Manouelitis rushes outside, and if one were to look out the Senate, one would see a horse galloping away at full speed, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.

[Dafuge]

Loukas, Stavros's scribe, who was briefly dozing off, hears screams of pain outside. He quickly whispers something to another on his table and his mouth suddenly goes dry. With renewed vigour he quickly starts writing.

[00jebus]

*Lisas looks at his own scribe, who was too busy writing what the others said to speak himself*

If Kantakouzinos' scribe is too small a man to take a little pain and has to retire my own can duplicate his notes till he finds a replacement

*the scribe looks momentaraly annoyed at the extra work*

now before this talk of scribes taking far more responsibility than their paid to do, we were talking about if its right to kill brigends who slaughter merchants, block trade and generally slow down the reconstruction of our empire...

*Lisas looks faintly amused that anyone would think its wrong*

[Kagemusha]

Kantakouzinos enters the senate and takes the stand.

"unfortunately.The Imperial bureocracy has informed me that Makedonias, the grandmaster of Knights St.John would be eglible for me to adopt him. I have to respectfully decline this offer. I have explained my reasoning for him in private in this matter and do not wish to engage in public debate about this issue, unless he wishes to engage in public debate about the issue."

Kantakouzinos sits down on his seat.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

A man enters the room followed by two guards. He turns to Protoasecretes and says something quietly. Then he turns around and looks at Efstathios' scribe..

It has come to My Lords ears that someone is trying to undermine his reputation in the Magnaura.
He have sent me here to arrest that man and apologize about everything this man have said in My Lords 'name'.

The man who was known as Efstathios' scribe started to feel uncomfortable and a cold sweat ran over his face.

My Masters name is Efstathios Laskaris and that man over there pointing towards the scribe is an impostor.

The impostor jumps up and runs through the doors, the two guards after him. Just minute later a scream echoes in the Magnaura and couple of minutes later one of the guards enters the room and reports..

The man is dead. He tried to escape by jumping out of the window. Unfortunate to him he broke his neck.

After saying that he turns and leaves the room.

My name is Ioannis.. Well.. Not very original name I have to say but..
I am one of Efstathios Laskaris' bodyguards and will represent him from now on until the crusade is over.

The man bows and takes the seat..

[Privateerkev]

Makedonios looks a little surprised that Ioannis said anything.

One point of clarification. It was for sponsorship, not adoption. The same arrangement that Kosmas and Methodios made.

Sponsorship is a relatively minor bureaucratic affair. If those among the Imperial machinery see a noble do something noteworthy, he can be invited into the upper echelon of nobility. Which allows for noble marriages, legitimately recognized 'noble' children. And even the possibility of being named heir to the throne.

All that is required is a sponsor. Either the fates, or Imperial bureaucracy, decided to pick Ioannis as my sponsor. Again, him accepting would have been a relatively minor affair. Simply checking off a form. We never would have had to speak again on the issue.

But, unfortunately, partisan politics have yet again gotten in the way of simple smooth functioning of a government. Some people's hatred for me has grown so strong that they will throw every legal roadblock in my way. Some in here, looks at the Caesar have even broken the law to hurt me.

While I admit my time in here has given me quite a thick skin, even I was surprised to see Ioannis basically refuse to put a mark on a piece of paper just so he could hurt me.

It's expected that people in here disagree on policy and the direction the Empire should go. And it's expected that passions will rise and the debates will get heated. But the absolute cold-blooded attitude of some in here is getting to be a little much.

Charges that I "fell asleep while my army killed" and "touch boys" are not only completely false, but they do absolutely nothing to help the discourse in here.

Of course, my comments on some of you "licking the Caesar's backside" haven't helped.

Basically, Ioannis's refusal to sponsor me woke me up to just how vitriolic and harsh it has gotten in here. Many of us, including myself, are guilty of this.

Well, I'm tired of it. I'm done with these petty political games. Those who want to keep playing them will get ignored. Those who wish to engage with me on a real debate on what the Empire should do, are welcome. I'm sorry for helping the mood in here sour and I will do my part to raise the level of discourse in the Senate.

Like Ioannis said, this matter is settled, but I wanted to clear the air on some finer points of it as well as address the larger issue of rampant incivility that has been allowed to fester.

[AussieGiant]

Apionnas nods appreciatively at the words of Senator Makedonios while standing at the back of the chamber. Glancing sideways he sees a saged look on one of the Varangian Guardsman.

"He is very good, don't you think?"

The stunned guardsman looks shocked that he's been spoken to and starts to stammer something in reply.

"No need to answer soldier, I was really just talking to myself."

At that point a page rushes in and hands Apionnas a note. He reads it carefully, a raised eyebrow the only sign of emotion. The Varangian Guardsman tries to look uninterested and fails miserably.

Showing him the note Apionnas says quietly.

"You might want to inform the Captain of the Guard, and the Basileus while your at it. It seems we have a small situation developing."

He says to the back of the rapidly departing Guardsman's just loud enough to carry across the chamber.

"The Egyptians have just called a Jihad on the very ground we stand on..."