Maximilian
VITAL STATS
None
Captain Maximilian Erich Barta
Name: Maximilian Erich Barta
Callsign: Jericho
Rank: Captain
Branch: TCSF
Unit: 221st Illuminati
Position: Sqd. CO
Age: 45
Homeworld: Earth
Marital Status: Single
Actor: None

CONFEDERATION DOSSIER

Background

Maximilian Erich Barta was born June 8, 2614 in the city of Hamburg, once a major part of the country of Germany. He was born into priviledge from the start: his father, Heinrich (b. 2590, Berlin) was a local politician and a rising star in a major regional party whereas his mother Eva (b. 2594, Hamburg) was a major industrialist, both wealthy and famous in her own right, and majority shareholder of one of the largest munitions firms in Confed space. The Bartas enjoyed all the perks of class: their home was a gathering-place for local movers and shakers, and when as while Maximilian was a child the family uprooted itself to an estate outside the city, their power base simply followed them over.

As might be expected from a child in his position, Maximilian was treated to nothing but the best. In spite of extensive private tuition and being sent to the best schools money could buy, however, Maximilian distinguished himself as only an average student. Though he applied himself, he always struggled in many fields, particularly the soft sciences. He showed a childhood affinity for mathematics and physics that waned as his studies became more theoretical, and though he never flirted with failure he also never achieved the sort of excellence his parents had expected of him.

In athletics, he was also an odd sort of disappointment. Heinrich had been an amateur boxer in his youth, and had built up many memories where he fancied himself better than he had actually been. At a young age Maximilian was put into the ring, but he never took to the sport. He much preferred racquet games, and excelled: he was, in fact, junior tennis champion of Germany at age sixteen. His natural reflexes made him a born athlete but not the sort of athlete either of his parents wanted.

For these and other reasons, Maximilian butted heads with his parents. His mother expected an urbane, intelligent young man who could become a great captain of industry, his father added some very specific demands on his athletic and academic manifests, and though good at what interested him he was simply unable to satisfy them. Home life grew strained, and then it grew worse than what, with public blowups around the Barta table becoming common. A particularly snide remark from Heinrich at a party fundraising gala led to Maximilian angrily tearing a strip off his father in front of what ought to be his strongest supporters. No mean speaker himself, Maximilian let his father have it until both men were shaking in rage and the sudden airing of dirty laundry had dropped the politician's stock considerably. Eva supported her husband, and the relationship of the Barta family never recovered.

Yet it still came as a shock when young Maximilian, at age eighteen, committed his final and most decisive act of rebellion. Although not an exceptional student his grades had always been fairly good, and his physical gifts made him highly coveted in certain circles. He signed up for TCSF officer training on the very day of his majority: the very second that he could get out from under his parents' grasp without their consent. The Bartas did not receive even the courtesy of a goodbye, and it was only through one of Eva's military contacts that they learned what had become of him.

Maximilian was a disappointment to his family, but he was a born fighter pilot. His grasp of theoretical studies, history, and the like remained average to slightly above average, and his lack of natural physical prowess meant that he was always struggling to keep his fitness up, but in the cockpit he was a natural. Instructors praised his instinctive grasp of the oddities of zero-G combat as well as his willingness to dedicate himself to his craft. But it was said, both as a compliment and an insult, that he lacked the fighter pilot's natural cockiness and elan. His efficiency more than made up for his non-stereotypical demeanour.

Graduating easily and being accorded the rank of second lieutenant, Maximilian Barta's first posting was to the TCS Ardent, a small, out-of-date escort carrier patrolling some of the quietest sectors in Confed space. It was not an idle assignment for Lieutenant Barta, however. He soon developed a reputation as "Max Barta: Destroyer of Ships", referring to his habit of returning his fighters in pieces. On only his second patrol, investigating suspicious radio activity in an asteroid cluster, a poorly-maintained engine suddenly fired, causing his fighter to spiral towards an asteroid. Barta's skill meant that he did no more than clip it, but his fighter was damaged so badly that his landing was executed at high speed and almost uncontrolled, slamming into the Ardent's flight deck, writing off the fighter, and limiting carrier operations for the next two weeks. On his fifth patrol, a seemingly light burst of enemy gunfire regardless did so much damage to his new craft that he was forced to eject. His callsign, 'Jericho', stemmed from these sorts of incidents: when Barta's fighter came in for another half-controlled landing, it was said that the sound of it spiralling into the hanger as it entered atmosphere was like the mythical horns of Jericho.

This was not a good nickname for a young pilot to pick up.

Stuck on a dead-end assignment and notorious for cracking up his hardware, Barta was forced to loiter in obscurity for many years. He did not receive promotion for over a decade, finally reaching first lieutenant when he was in his thirties. Few ever doubted his piloting ability, but his discipline was called into question: ironic, given his earlier reputation. He was sociable and made friends easily, but these were not the sorts of friends who could help his career. And his colleagues were killed or promoted, and a new batch of pilots would come in, and gradually Barta became the old man of the Ardent, approaching middle age and still a first lieutenant, respected but at the same time pitied.

It wasn't until Barta was in his forties that salvation came. The Ardent's wing commander was replaced, and the new boss liked the cut of Barta's jib. He was placed second-in-command of his squadron, the 301st, and raised to the rank of captain shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, as conflict with the Kilrathi heated up, even the old Ardent was called to the front, being dispatched to the Gemini Sector as part of the general Confederation campaign following the fall of Perry Supply Depot. At New Constantinople, the Ardent saw the most intense action of its long career, and Barta's squadron suffered heavy casualties. Barta himself, however, distinguished himself completely. His squadron was mostly made up of a combination of kids and castoffs (like him): poor material to be thrown into the meat grinder that New Constantinople would become. Yet the 601st endured disproportionately few losses while still getting their licks in on the Kilrathi pilots early in the battle. Only late did the tide turn: the Ardent and all her squadrons were directed to attack a large Kilrathi carrier. Against superior opposition the pilots of the Ardent did the best they could but they were soon surrounded and an attack operation became a frantic fight to escape. The vast bulk of the Ardent's fighter complement was cut down, and at the last the Ardent itself was lost, destroyed by the very carrier it had been sent to claim. Captain Barta's own fighter was on the brink of being shot to pieces, but in direct contrast to his reputation Max Barta, Destroyer of Ships managed to hold this one together, seeing the battle through to its victorious conclusion and, in proper Barta faction, crash-landing his fighter onto the flight deck of the TCS Inquisitor.

With his squadron all-but-obliterated and the Ardent lost, Barta was left moving between assignments for several months. It wasn't until later that he was at last given a new, permanent home: as executive officer of the 221st "Illuminati", aboard the TCS Majestic.

Prior Deployments

<Where has your char been? What ships were they on? What battles have they fought in? Maybe they had a cool assignment someplace?>

Achievements

<Medals, letters of commendation, sniper-tastic awards? Dole 'em out here.>

Demerits

<Does your char like to get in trouble? Seen some brig time? Maybe they got drunk and stole a Stil and went joyriding with the Admiral's daughter. Anything official and on the record goes here.>

Notes From Prior CO's (OOC except for DH's)

<This is where you would put IC info that your Department Head would have access to in your file. If your prior stowage with the Admiral's daughter earned a letter of admonishment that would be hand-written and inserted, stick that here!!! Keep in mind, it doesn't have to be negative, either.>

Other IC Info

<Things other players should know about you. Your desc only says so much. Or so little. Everything you put down here is fair game for most people to know about by either by reputation or fact.>

Gallery

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