(A/N: Hi all, thank you for your patience and understanding regarding my wifes health. It means so much.
I
n the beginning of writing Maximus as a Null, Blank, or Pariah, I was writing him as if he could control the range of the null field, giving him the ability to expand it or retract it.
I'm doing away with that as it just doesn't fit the story, nor the lore. From now on, he will just have a normal "dome" like area of effect, just like the sisters of silence.
Thank you!)
=== Maximus ===
The Strike Cruiser cut silently through the black gulf of space, her armored hull still scarred and pitted from the engagements over Hoth. Massive plates of ceramite bore the scorch marks of heavy turbolaser fire, and the faint hum of the void shields resonated in the deck beneath Maximus' boots.
The Ultramarine Captain stood at the forward observation platform, his towering form framed by the reinforced transparisteel viewport. Beyond it, the ice-blue sphere of Hoth was already shrinking into a pale dot.
Beside him, Bo-Katan Kryze stood with her arms folded, her helmet clipped to her belt. Her copper hair caught the dim glow of the console lights, her eyes fixed on the black void ahead. She said nothing at first; silence came naturally to warriors like them after battle.
The bridge was alive as Mandalorian helms nodded at sensor readouts, and servitors clicked through navigational sequences..
Then the comms officer, a grizzled Mandalorian with a long scar down his jaw spoke.
"Incoming priority transmission from the Grand Regent, my Lords."
Maximus turned slowly. "Put her through," he ordered.
The holo-projector flared to life, casting the familiar blue shimmer of Nira's image in the air before them.
"Captain," she began without preamble, her eyes narrowing slightly as they scanned him, "I have new orders for you and your Talons."
Bo-Katan's brow lifted, but she kept silent, glancing briefly at Maximus.
"You will make your way to the planet Eriadu," Nira continued, "and link up with Republic forces under the command of General Obi-Wan Kenobi. Your objective is the complete eradication of the Separatist presence there."
His mind was already mapping the terrain of Eriadu, considering the Separatist fortifications, potential artillery placements, and the deployment patterns of his Mandalorian strike teams.
"I need not remind you that the Imperium's alliance with the Republic remains… uneasy. We cannot afford unnecessary incidents."
Bo-Katan gave a dry chuckle under her breath, but Maximus's expression didn't change. His voice, deep and edged with iron, rumbled through the bridge.
"I will do what is required to achieve the objective, Grand Regent."
Nira inclined her head slightly. "Good. Once Eriadu is secured, you will establish a forward base there. And as a gesture of good will, you will accompany the Republic in clearing Separatist forces from the rest of the sector."
The holo flickered slightly as she leaned forward.
"I know you'll do your best. Thank you Captain."
Then the projection snapped away, leaving only the quiet hum of the bridge.
Bo-Katan glanced up at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "This should be fun."
Maximus looked out the viewport again, his voice tinged with a slight sigh. "Plot a course to Eriadu."
He turned, his boots thudding against the deck as he strode toward the tactical display at the center of the bridge. The holo-map shimmered to life, showing Eriadu in rotating grey, the Separatist positions marked in crimson.
"Signal the Talons," Maximus ordered her. "Full combat readiness. All drop teams on standby."
Bo-Katan's lips curved in a faint smirk. "The Ultramarines as well?"
"Of course," he said. "The Emperor's will applies to all. Even if it may be… overkill."
"Understood."
As the orders rippled through the cruiser, the corridors below came alive. Mandalorians strapped on their armor, checking their weapons before reporting to their Ultramarine commanders.
The Strike Cruiser groaned as her engines pushed harder, her massive frame leaning into the new course.
Maximus returned to the viewport one last time before Eriadu filled his horizon.
He didn't like this alliances. But for now, the Regent and the Great Angel had ordered, and Maximus would obey.
===
The Azure Talons' fleet broke from hyperspace like a sudden tear in the black fabric of the void, spearheaded by Maximus' Strike Cruiser. The warship hung above Eriadu's swirling blue-grey surface, its hull reflecting the light of the distant sun like a shard of midnight steel. All around it, Mandalorian gunships and drop-craft formed up, their repulsors glowing in the dark.
The order came down the vox, crisp and commanding.
"Azure Talons — commence descent."
Shuttles dropped from the belly of the cruiser, their armored hulls bristling with weaponry, contrails of plasma heat marking their descent through Eriadu's upper atmosphere. The roar of their engines shook the air as they knifed toward their landing zones, escorted by darting Mandalorian starfighters.
Inside one of the lead shuttles, Maximus stood braced against the forward bulkhead, the deck trembling beneath his armored boots. The ceramite-blue plates of his Ultramarine war-plate were battered from Hoth's campaign, yet polished to a cold sheen. His crimson shoulder cloak hung unmoving in the heavy cabin air, clasped at the right shoulder with the sigil of the Imperium.
Bo-Katan stood at his right, helmet in hand, her sharp eyes fixed on the narrowing view of the Eriadu skyline through the viewport slit. Rows of Azure Talons filled the shuttle, silent behind their T-visored helms, the faint hiss of breath filters the only sound aside from the deep thrum of the engines.
The shuttle bucked hard as it broke through low cloud cover, and the sprawling industrial skyline of Eriadu unfolded beneath them. Black spires clawed at the sky, their surfaces coated with grime from decades of manufacturing. Smoke belched from massive refineries, and the air was thick with the scent of metal and fuel even at this altitude.
They came in over a wide durasteel landing platform ringed by Clone Troopers in Republic white-and-blue armor. Beyond the platform, the city stretched like a labyrinth of rust and ferrocrete, and the distant thump of artillery echoed faintly in the wind.
The shuttle's retro-thrusters screamed as it slowed, the massive craft settling heavily onto the platform. Hydraulic clamps hissed, and the ramp began to lower.
The instant the gap appeared, the regiment of Clones snapped to full readiness. Their weapons angled upwards, muzzles glinting in the haze. Even through their visors, Maximus could sense the ripple of unease. They had heard of him, the giant from beyond the galaxy, the warrior whose mere presence could sever a Jedi's connection to the Force.
Maximus strode down the ramp with the weight and certainty of a fortress on legs, each step ringing against the metal. His massive frame loomed over even the Clones. Bo-Katan descended a pace behind him, flanked by two Talon veterans in jetpack-equipped armor.
The Clones stiffened further as he approached, their fingers itching towards their triggers.
Maximus' voice boomed, carrying across the platform without strain.
"At ease," he said, his tone commanding. "We are allies. As of this moment, our blades and yours strike the same foe."
The tension broke fractionally, some of the Clones relaxing, though the wariness remained in the set of their stances.
From the line stepped Obi-Wan Kenobi, his tan robes shifting in the dry breeze, his lightsaber hilt catching the sunlight at his hip. His expression was composed, though Maximus caught the slight shift as the Jedi saw his second in command.
The Ultramarine also noted the faint tightening around his eyes, the slight delay in his gait as he drew nearer, the telltale sign of the Null aura pressing against his mind like the weight of deep water.
"Captain Maximus," Obi-Wan said evenly, though his voice had the faintest undercurrent of strain. "Welcome to Eriadu. I trust your journey was uneventful?"
"Indeed," Maximus replied. He stopped before the Jedi, studying him in silence for a moment. His crimson optics swept the landing pad, the surrounding troops, the distant horizon, always assessing, always calculating.
Obi-Wan's composure faltered minutely, his connection to the Force flickering under the oppressive void of Maximus's presence. The Ultramarine noticed. For a long moment, he simply let the silence stretch between them, the only sound the hiss of cooling shuttle thrusters.
Then, with a faint shift of his stance, Obi-Wan stepped back half a pace, enough for the aura's crushing pressure to ease. He inhaled slowly, subtle relief passing through him like a ripple over still water.
Maximus inclined his head, the closest thing to an apology he offered.
"Your forces are well-positioned," he said, his tone now purely business. "What is the status of the Separatist strongholds?"
Obi-Wan straightened, returning to his usual poise. "The primary Separatist command is entrenched in the Eriaduan foundry district, using its heavy machinery as improvised fortifications. Multiple AA emplacements make an aerial strike costly. Our ground assault has been slowed by their layered defenses, droid battalions, energy barriers, and entrenched armor units."
Maximus's gaze narrowed. "And your forces now?"
"Engaged on the western flank," Obi-Wan answered. "They're attempting to disrupt the Separatists' supply lines. We'll need to coordinate if we're to collapse their perimeter entirely."
Bo-Katan stepped forward slightly, her voice carrying a sharp edge. "We break the AA emplacements first. Talon jetpacks can infiltrate from above while your Clones press from the front. Once air support's in play, the foundry will fall."
Obi-Wan gave her a measured look, glancing at her metal arm for a moment then turned back to Maximus. "It could work. Though the cost will still be high."
Maximus glanced toward the smoke rising on the horizon, the faint shapes of Separatist vulture droids circling in the distance.
"You have yet to fight alongside the Talons," he said simply.
The Jedi looked at the Ultramarine who gazed out across the skyline for a moment longer before the Space Marine looked back at the smaller man.
"Very well. Let's make ready. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the War room." The Jedi said.
===
The war room of the planetary capital was a blend of old-world architecture and hastily installed military equipment. Thick stone walls lined with banners of the local planetary crest stood in stark contrast to the humming holo-projectors and the sterile gleam of Republic tech. The table at the center was a massive circular slab of metal, its polished surface now overlaid with a projected map of the continent.
Outside, through the tall, cracked windows, faint columns of smoke curled into the pale sky, the echoes of battle still rumbling in the distance. Inside, guards lined the perimeter, Clone troopers in white armor and planetary soldiers in dark green dress uniforms, standing stiff but exchanging wary glances toward the towering figure in ceramite armor.
Maximus stood near the map table, his massive Thunderhammer slung across his back, the blue armor of his Chapter gleaming despite the dust of battle. The blue and gold Ultramarines heraldry on his pauldrons caught the light, the stylized omega marking him as a son of Guilliman, and as something entirely alien to most in the room.
Opposite him, Obi-Wan Kenobi stood with his arms folded, his expression calm but with a subtle crease of concern between his brows. The faint ripples of the Null aura radiating from Maximus hadn't lessened, and the Jedi Master's presence in the Force felt like a steady but strained candle flame resisting a wind.
And then there was Governor Wilhuff Tarkin.
Tall, gaunt, and razor-sharp in both mind and demeanor, he entered the war room with an air of controlled authority. His grey-green uniform was immaculate despite the chaos of the siege, his boots clicking softly on the floor as he approached the table. His eyes swept the room like a searchlight, taking in Kenobi, and finally lingering on Maximus with a mixture of curiosity and challenge.
"Master Kenobi." His voice was clipped, deliberate. "And… our newest ally." His gaze did not waver from Maximus. "I trust you are the… commander responsible for the sudden and dramatic collapse of the Separatist forward line?"
"I am." Maximus's voice was deep and resonant, carrying the calm certainty of someone used to commanding entire battle groups. "I have tasked some of my best troops to break their line. They have just completed that task."
Tarkin's thin lips tightened, but he inclined his head in acknowledgment before turning his attention to the map table. "I have been following your actions elsewhere in the galaxy. Impressive, though one might argue reckless. Your Azure Talons may have opened a breach in the enemy formation, yes, but in doing so, you have drawn the surviving forces inward toward the capital. Their concentration here will be… problematic."
Maximus' shadow seemed to stretch across the table and over the projected map. "On the contrary. You now face an enemy with no lines to protect, no fallback positions, and no means of resupply. They are compressed against your defenses like prey against the wall. This is the ideal moment to crush them utterly."
Tarkin's eyes narrowed. "Ideal… if one has the forces to do so. We do not. Our garrison is depleted, our Clone regiments are spread thin, and I have civilians to protect."
Maximus studied him for a moment, the faint whir of his armor pack the only sound. "Civilians are protected by ending the threat quickly, not by prolonging it with half-measures."
Kenobi's gaze flicked between them, sensing the mounting tension. "Governor, perhaps we should—"
"No, Master Kenobi," Tarkin interrupted smoothly, though his tone carried a faint edge. "If the Captain believes he has a strategy that will not risk the lives of my citizens unnecessarily, I am willing to hear it."
Maximus reached to the holoprojector, manipulating it with surprising precision for someone so massive. The map rotated, zooming in on the outskirts of the capital. Blue symbols denoted Clone and militia positions, while red ones marked the Separatist remnants, now clustered in dense pockets.
"Their concentration is a gift," Maximus began, "but only if you strike from multiple angles. A frontal assault alone would bleed your forces. Instead…" He tapped a section of the map far to the east. "We send a mobile detachment here, armor and gunships, to sweep through their flank. At the same time, your main garrison feigns a withdrawal here…" He marked a street near the southern gate. "They will push forward to exploit what they think is a gap, leaving their command node exposed here."
Tarkin leaned over the projection, his brow furrowing. "And the command node would be destroyed by…?"
Maximus's eyes, like polished steel, locked on Tarkin's. "By me."
Tarkin straightened, clasping his hands behind his back. "You would… personally lead an assault into the heart of their command formation?"
"Of course. Their droids will not adapt quickly enough to counter my advance. Once their command is destroyed, the remaining forces will collapse."
Kenobi's lips twitched into the faintest smile. "I believe the Captain speaks from experience."
Tarkin's gaze lingered on Maximus for several seconds before he finally inclined his head. "Very well, Captain. I will authorize the operation… provided the civilian sectors remain secure during your strike."
"They will," Maximus said simply.
Tarkin gave a curt nod, but as he turned back to the table, there was a glint in his eye, the look of a man who had just found both a valuable asset and a dangerous rival.
===
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