Maximus Hunter (Vanguard)

In overall command of The Vanguard Fleet is Starfleet Fleet Admiral Maximus Hunter. Hunter is part Heran, part Bracchian, part Vulcan, and part Chalchaj’qmey, is 75 years old, and was born on 2305 and raised on Earth in the Sol system. He is described as being over six meters tall, heavily muscular, and sporting a white beard and short-cropped hair.

Hunter is the only Starfleet Officer of star rank that has four racial lineages. As a hybrid, he possesses all the strengths of each race and none of their weaknesses. He has the ferocity, courage, sense of honor, cunning and advanced immune system of the Chalchaj’qmey Klingon-Romulan hybrid race, the superior intellect and remarkable psionic abilities of the Vulcan race, the near-superhuman physicality and long life of the Bracchian, and the humanity and overall superiority of a Heran. He was also trained in traditional Vulcan disciplines, but uses this knowledge to manage his emotions to moderate levels and not to actually purge them. He is also steeped in the Klingon code of honor. He has the pointed ears of the Vulcans and Romulans, the V-shape brow ridges above the bridge of the nose of the Romulans, the swarthy skin tone, forehead ridges and redundant body organs of the Klingons, the body pigmentation of the Bracchians, and the huge size and great speed of the Human Augments.

As a navigator, helm officer and a combat pilot, he simply has no equal in Starfleet, with an instinct that is near impossible to match. In battle situations Hunter can take evasive maneuvers that often belie the size and capabilities of the massive ships being flown. As a Tactical Officer, he is an expert at the ship's defensive systems and offensive weapons and how to maximize damage to targets using minimal firepower. As an engineer, has a natural talent for all things technical and is an expert on especially advanced warp field dynamics and plasma containment theory. And in science, he is renowned in the fields of geology, astrophysics, exobiology, and temporal anomalies, stellar cartography, and astrometrics.

Hunter is an extremely dedicated, efficient officer. Known throughout Starfleet for his cunning in battle, the Admiral has a reputation for ruthlessness against his enemies, but is also extremely caring of the personnel under his command.

Hunter may not be the first or only ship captain to have saved the Earth or the Federation on several occasions, but he's done it enough times to qualify him as one of the greatest Starfleet officers ever to wear the captain’s pips. An accomplished diplomat, tactician, and battle commander, he not only witnessed the major turning points of recent galactic history but played a major role in them as well. Hunter is one of the leading admirals in Starfleet and a prominent leader in the admiralty since becoming part of it.

A master negotiator and very skilled in several languages, Maximus Hunter is the embodiment of everything Starfleet and the Federation stands for. He is an explorer at heart, and a man of reason and peace. He's the type who always seems willing to avoid conflict at all costs and find a peaceful resolution to a potentially hostile confrontation. He also has a genuine respect for other people and races. He's not the type who would ever impose his own personal beliefs or allow them to affect the way he would deal with another culture that may have very different philosophies than his own. But he's tough as well. Whether in his youth or in middle age, Admiral Hunter has always been the one you most wanted on your side in a battle. He's proven himself time and again to be not only very physically able, but also to be a very brilliant and cunning strategist. His instincts were nearly infallible most of the time. Hunter has proven time and again that when he has to, he can be just as good in battle, matters of war, and military strategy as anyone. Admiral Hunter seemed to have an almost superhuman willpower as well. Mind control and brain washing is always a constant danger in the Starfleet. But more than anyone else, Hunter always seemed to be the one man who had the force of will to resist these powers which tried to control him. Though he often heatedly defends a strict interpretation of the Prime Directive, he has broken it numerous times when he felt it was warranted.

Although there have been exceptions to this, Hunter also seems the most rational when it comes to putting the safety and well being of his command and his men above personal matters. Besides this, he's also very kind, compassionate, and understanding. Although often a solitary man, he's definitely the type of commanding officer one could easily develop a deep bond and friendship with.

In addition to all of this, Admiral Hunter also seems to be the most wise and experienced of all the present crop of Starfleet flag and commanding officers. He is more often than not able to make very intelligent choices and decisions. Even so, his strong moral codes have oftentimes gotten in the way of him making the most practical decision he can. But he tempers the two sometimes contradicting elements extremely skillfully most of the time. In essence, he does very well that which is almost always extremely difficult. Hunter is always the type who fully accepted responsibility for his decisions. He isn't the type to ever ask a crew member to do something he himself wasn't willing to do. And although he may have lost a lot of red-shirted crew members on dangerous away team missions, he always preferred to put himself into a dangerous situation or sacrifice his own life rather than intentionally endanger the lives of anyone he commanded. Hunter is also very easy going most of the time and has a great sense of humor.

He is a passionate, instinctive, wise and plain-speaking individual. He is a man of action, with a razor sharp mind and excellent reflexes. Those who have worked with him for any length of time know him to be a maverick. The term "born leader" is a great understatement when describing Hunter's ability to instill loyalty in those serving under him. He, in turn, is extremely loyal to his friends and crew and he will go to great lengths to serve and protect them. Even when he was a young man, Hunter was tough and seasoned and wise beyond his years. Hunter is fair-minded and is frank. He is an intuitive and instinctive tactician and strategist and he is a keen judge of character

Hunter has been in Starfleet for almost five decades. At the age of 17, Hunter made the decision to enter Starfleet, and entered the Academy in 2323. In spite of his brilliance and astuteness, his passage through the Academy was not without friction. He was considered by some to be a troublemaker, but others believed his forthrightness and integrity made him one of the most promising cadets to come out of the Academy in its entire history. While there, he met and became fast friends with Jean-Luc Picard, who would later on be one of the greatest starship captains in Starfleet history.

After graduating from the Academy at the top of his class in 2327, Ensign Hunter spent another two years in Starfleet’s Advanced Engineering School, Advanced Science School, Advanced Operations School, Advanced Tactical School, Advanced Security School, Advanced Intelligence School and Advanced Special Operations School. In 2329 he was promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade and assigned to various starships where he put his acquired skills in every department to good use and deepened them with actual experience. Rather than specialize, Hunter decided to become good at all ship systems - always with his sights set on the center seat. From time to time Hunter would be called upon to do "special jobs" away from his official starship assignment as a clandestine deep cover operative for Starfleet’s Chief-of-Staff. During this time, he gained a reputation for ingenuity, decisiveness, tenacity and frankness. After only one year, he was promoted again to the rank of Lieutenant, Senior Grade.

In 2331, Hunter was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and assigned as the new First Officer on board the Excelsior Class Starship USS Endeavor, where he was decorated several times for either saving his ship, its crew, or for his ingenuity in solving a very difficult challenge.

With his leadership abilities, he was soon placed in command of the Starfleet outpost Deep Space 6 and was promoted to the rank of Commander in 2335. In that politically unstable area of space, Hunter had been an exemplary commanding officer.

In 2339, Hunter's renown in the field of command began by becoming one of the youngest Starfleet officers to become a captain at the age of 28. He was chosen to command the Ambassador-Class USS Victorious, during which he made his name in the history books of the Federation by his actions. It was during this period that he also gained a reputation as an independent whose success couldn't be argued even though he often bucked the system and had a knack for improvisation and used unorthodox solutions frequently. He was also known as a Starfleet "trouble-shooter" for some time, an ability that he put to good use in his fleet command roles later in his career.

Several times during his tour with the Victorious, Hunter and his ship were teamed up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the USS Stargazer on critical missions, after having gained a track record as highly successful mission specialists when in tandem.

Much like Picard, Hunter had a notorious record of passing over several offers to join the admiralty, preferring to stay in command of a starship and exploring space instead of sitting behind a chair in a large office at Starfleet Headquarters. He spent more than 30 years in starship command, gaining credit for his ability to extract his ships from extremely hazardous situations.

Hunter was the first to espouse the concept of having more permanent “Task Force Formations” within Starfleet. He had advocated its institution for many years, but because of the relative peace enjoined by the Federation, and the seemingly sufficient capacity and success of starships on single mission profile, the concept was shelved by Starfleet Command.

After sixteen exemplary years as Captain of the Victorious, Hunter was offered a position in the Admiralty for a third time. Hunter responded that he would accept the promotion only if he retained command of the Victorious. Due to the failing relationships with the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Star Empire at that time, Starfleet Command gave in to his requested and gave Hunter’s permanent task force formation concept a test. He was promoted to the rank of one-star Rear Admiral and given command of the first ever permanent Starfleet task force which was composed of seven starships. This group was later known as Task Force Victorious and it had carved a strong reputation for itself in promoting the ideals and principles of the Federation and Starfleet in the fields of diplomacy, science and defense.

In 2364, with the decommissioning of the Ambassador-class USS Victorious, Hunter was offered to command a Galaxy-class starship. Hunter accepted on the condition that the ship was to be named USS Victorious-A, and that his old crew were to transfer with him. His conditions were readily granted and he as given a revamped and expanded task force of eleven starships. He served as Flag Officer in Command of the new Task Force Victorious and concurrent Commanding Officer of the Victorious-A for five years with distinction, giving the small fleet’s crews six unit citations in the process.

In 2369, Starfleet Command managed to pry Hunter away from the captain’s chair and from deep space and promoted him to the rank of two-star Rear Admiral. He was given the position of Starfleet Chief-of-Operations. Hunter reluctantly left the Victorious-A as he knew that he was needed in a greater field of responsibility.

Hunter was once again promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral and appointed to the position of Starfleet Vice-Chief-of-Staff in 2371. His specific task was to coordinate all fleet movements along the Federation border and to spearhead the response to any threat on the Federation that may loom. He was one rank below the usual for a Starfleet Vice Chief of Staff at that time, but no one questioned his appointment. And no one doubted his abilities in handling the position. He was given the Intrepid-class USS Falcon

Three years later, in 2374, in the middle of the Dominion War, Hunter was given command over the first ever permanently operating mobile fleet of Starfleet, the First Fleet. It was composed of 113 ships and had a Sovereign-class starship as its flagship. Although his fleet was not in the primary theaters of battle during the Dominion War, Hunter and the First Fleet were present in all secondary battles against the Dominion Alliance and had never lost against the enemy. It had been his task to deflect any attempt by the enemy to attack Earth.

Hunter was appointed as acting Starfleet-Chief-of-Staff and promoted to the rank of full Admiral on 2376 when Admiral Denora took a two year leave of absence.

Though he performed admirably in his job as acting Starfleet-Chief-of-Staff, Hunter was extremely bored working behind the desk. Several times he had lobbying strongly that he be returned to deep space in command of a fleet, but Starfleet and the Federation viewed him as one of their most valuable assets. They did not want to risk losing him in the field of battle. Dejected and disheartened, Hunter resigned his Starfleet commission in 2378. The public outrage in and outside of Starfleet was strong, but neither the Federation nor Starfleet was able to make him reconsider. But his old friend, the legendary Ambassador Spock, was able to convince Hunter to accept a detached appointment with the Federation Diplomatic Corps. He was still recognized and needed for his extensive experience in diplomacy. He was therefore designated as UFP Senior Ambassador-at-large. Hunter gave consent that he can be called on by the Diplomatic Corps to handle some of the more sensitive diplomatic missions of the Federation.

For one year, Hunter concentrated on expanding his personally owned Valkoria Consortium. And in that one year, Hunter was able to expand his private company into a huge interstellar enterprise that included as assets one large multipurpose but heavily armed orbital facility, Valkoria Station, four medium-sized merchant stations, and a merchant fleet of sixty relatively new starships, including the largest and most opulent interstellar cruise ship in operation, the SS Aurora, and four other mid-sized interstellar cruise ships.

In that period, Starfleet’s Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Alynna Nechayev visited Hunter four times, after every three months, to try to convince him to return to active duty. Each time, he politely turned down the offer. But Nechayev was adamant, and swore to return every three months until Hunter would give in.

In 2379, when five Starfleet Admirals, along with then-Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Ambassador Lagan Serra forced Federation President Min Zife to resign after the disastrous Tezwan affair, Hunter accepted an urgent request from the UFP Ruling Council to temporarily assume as President of the UFP for a few months to pave the way for a new election. In that few months, Hunter was successful in keeping the Federation from disintegration. Later in October of that year, Nanietta Bacco won the vacated position and assumed as Federation President.

After the Borg supercube crisis of 2380, Hunter realized he could still help greatly in protecting the Federation. At the next visit of the retiring Fleet Admiral Nechayev, Hunter accepted a restoration of his Starfleet commission and went to Utopia Planitia to lead the development and design of the Invincible-Class Starship design with the head of Starfleet Corps of Engineers, Rear Admiral Montgomery Scott.

In 2382, after a heated argument with new Starfleet Commander-in-Chief Edward Jellico, Hunter returned to civilian life again and concentrated on strengthening the Valkoria Consortium and its fleet of merchant ships. By this time, Hunter had exacted letters of marquee from Federation President Bacco for his merchant fleet, which had been modified with more powerful warp cores, shields, and weapons systems. This was against the vehement opposition of Fleet Admiral Jellico. But Hunter used these sparingly, invoking his fleet’s role as privateers only when ultimately necessary. And in that span of time, his fleet had conducted itself honorably and admirably.

Hunter finally returned to Starfleet permanently, with special dispensation to retain active management of the Valkoria Consortium, and was promoted to the rank of Fleet Admiral. The Federation had formed an autonomous division of Starfleet in the more critical frontier territories of the Alpha Quadrant and needed a maverick to lead it. He was the best choice. In simple ceremonies at the Federation President’s Office which had Fleet Admirals Jellico and Leonard James Akaar present, Hunter was designated as Flag Officer in Command of Vanguard Sector Command and the Vanguard Fleet.

He was initially given retired Admiral William Ross’ flagship, the Prometheus class Tactical Assault Cruiser USS Cerberus. Later, when Rear Admiral Jean-Luc Picard assumed command of the Invincible-class Fleet Carrier-Battleship USS Invincible, Hunter assumed direct command of the USS Enterprise-E and made it his flagship.