Maximus Dolabella

Maximus in 2008.

**Maximus Saturninus Dolabella** (born Maximus Lentulus Burrus, 7 June 1985- 14 September 2009) was a Dream-Born Volcanic General who was one of two people captured during the 2008 Vexton Raid, along with Lucius Plancus. After his surrender, he committed suicide in September 2009.

Maximus was born in Green Greens, Dream Land, as the son of Herennius Burrus and Claudia (née Cerealis), after his father was killed in 1995, Maximus was adopted by Sigisvultus Dolabella. Maximus was the second adopted child, and the 7th child of Sigisvultus. His siblings were Antonius, Sebastianus, Anthemius, Priscus, Tuff and Tiff.

Maximus was one of the two victims of a 2008 raid, where Lucius Plancus was killed, and he was arrested.

Maximus's case was turned over to the "Court of Military Honour"—a drumhead court-martial convened to decide the fate of officers involved in the conspiracy. The court included General Martinianus Alienus, Field Marshal Severus Marcellinus, General Placus Dellius, Infantry General Victor Luscinus and General Julianus Lepidus, with Infantry General Lucius Antio and Lieutenant Simon Walker (whom Maximus had fired after Tobruk in 2004) as deputy members and Generalmajor Zion Murray as protocol officer. The Court acquired information from Antio, Walker and others that implicated Maximus, with Kaeso Lentulus and Arcadius Isauricus assuming that he had taken part in the subversion. Dellius and Alienus then made the decision that favoured Lepidusl's case and at the same time shifted the blame to Maximus. By normal procedure, this would lead to Maximus's being brought to Manius Victor's People's Court, a kangaroo court that always decided in favour of the prosecution. However, Queen Luna III knew that having Maximus branded and executed as a traitor would severely damage morale on the home front. She thus decided to offer Maximus the chance to take his own life.

Two generals from Luna's headquarters, Nero Flaccus and Bailey Partizanne, visited Maximus at his home on 14 October 2009. Bailey informed him of the charges against him and offered him three options: (a.) he could choose to defend himself personally in front of Luna in Rome, or if he refused to do so (which would be taken as an admission of guilt); (b.) he could face the People's Court (which would have been tantamount to a death sentence), or (c.) choose to commit suicide. In the former case (b.), his family would have suffered even before the all-but-certain conviction and execution, and his staff would have been arrested and executed as well. In the latter case (c.), the government would claim that he died a hero and bury him with full military honours, and his family would receive full pension payments. In support of the suicide option, Flaccus had brought a cyanide capsule.

Maximus opted to commit suicide, and explained his decision to his wife and son. Wearing his Roman jacket and carrying his field marshal's baton, he got into Bailey's car, driven by General Lucius Egnatius, and was driven out of the village. After stopping, Egnatius and Flaccus walked away from the car leaving Maximus with Bailey. Five minutes later Bailey gestured to the two men to return to the car, and Egnatius noticed that Maximus was slumped over, having taken the cyanide. He died before being taken to the hospital. Ten minutes later, the group telephoned Maximus's sister Tiff to inform her of his death.

The official notice of Maximus's death as reported to the public stated that he had died of either a heart attack or a cerebral embolism—a complication of the skull fractures he had suffered in the earlier strafing of his staff car. To strengthen the story, Luna ordered an official day of mourning in commemoration of his death. As promised, Maximus was given a state funeral but it was held in Florence instead of Rome as had been requested by Maximus. Luna sent Field Marshal Anthony Haltmann (who was unaware that Maximus had died as a result of Luna's orders) as his representative to the funeral.