Maria Grimaldi
| Maria Grimaldi | |
|---|---|
| ?-2668 | |
| Callsign | Minx |
| Place of death | Ayer's System |
| Allegiance | Terran Confederation, Mandarins |
| Years of service | ?-2667 |
| Rank | Captain |
Maria Grimaldi was a Terran pilot of the Terran Confederation during the Terran-Kilrathi War. Unbeknownst to her superiors, she was also an agent for the Society of the Mandarins. She went by the callsign "Minx".
Maria Grimaldi served during the Terran-Kilrathi War and attained the rank of Captain by 2667. During that year, she was assigned to the Wild Eagles, an elite combat squadron commanded by Major Todd "Maniac" Marshall. The squadron was composed of four elite pilots flying the Morningstar Heavy Fighter, at the time the most powerful starfighter in the Confederation Navy.
During her new assignment, Minx and her squadron were assigned to the TCS Concordia as part of the squadron's shakedown cruise. During a routine test flight, Minx was left stranded in space after her fighter failed to jump into hyperspace, a persistent technical defect seen in most of the Morningstars. She ditched her craft and ejected after activating the self-destruct device, but her team could not retrieve her due to the tractor beam malfunction on their craft. Fortunately, she was retrieved by Colonel Christopher Blair, to whom she later developed a mild attraction to.
Later, Minx went out on a routine patrol alongside Colonel Jeannette Devereaux in the Canewdon System, only to find themselves overwhelmed by an enemy strike force. Angel ordered Minx back to the Concordia and Blair, shocked at what he thought was a brazen move by Minx, set out to retrieve Angel, who held off the enemy long enough for Blair to bring her back.
During continued operations in Canewdon, Minx revealed her true colors when she informed Chief Technician Janet McCullough that she was to fly the Morningstar on her latest mission, when in fact she was not assigned to any mission at that time. Pilots Jeffrey "Talon" Burkheimer and Markham "Crossbones" Colt caught on to her activities, and attempted to prevent the launch. Minx anticipated this move and detonated a series of explosives she had planted on the flight deck. The resulting explosion killed Crossbones, injured McCullough, and left Talon permanently disabled, allowing Minx to make a quick getaway. Despite all attempts to capture her, Minx escaped into hyperspace and fled to Ayer's Rock, the secret headquarters of the Society of the Mandarins.
Upon arriving at Ayer's, Minx handed over the Morningstar, which the Mandarins intended to give to their Kilrathi allies. Minx then met Major Zachary Colson, Blair's rival and one of the most wanted men in the Confederation. She soon entered a romantic relationship with Jazz, unaware of just how sadistic and manipulative he truly was.
Minx continued to serve the Mandarins and the Kilrathi faithfully in the days that followed. Unfortunately, the Terrans eventually tracked her down at Ayer's, and a Special Operations Team led by James Taggart and Colonel Blair arrived to destroy the Mandarin network. They were eventually successful in destroying Ayer's Rock, but Jazz and Minx fled beforehand. However, Minx was forced to eject when her fighter absorbed too much radiation, and she herself was left for dead by Jazz, who fled in the Morningstar. Dying from radiation exposure, Minx signaled Blair and begged him to kill Jazz for her before she finally succumbed to her injuries. Blair fulfilled his promise to Minx and swiftly killed Jazz once and for all.
