Booker’s been a lot of things over the course of his life. As a teen in the Jalmeri port of Niswan, he thought maybe his powerful muscles and quick reflexes could earn him a spot in one of the martial monasteries. That dream ended when he was taken by pirates during a raid and press-ganged into service pumping bilges. One day, in order to save his own life during a battle with a Chelaxian pirate hunter, he took control of a cannon and sank the enemy ship, earning himself a promotion to full crewmember. He worked the cannons for a time and discovered he had a penchant for big guns and close-quarters combat, using his impressive size to lug weapons others found unwieldy. Booker might have been a very successful pirate if he’d had a taste for it, but he never liked hurting people who didn’t have it coming, so when the chance came to jump ship in Katapesh, he took it. Booker used his gun and his muscles to find work as a caravan guard, making his way inland to avoid his old compatriots. Eventually, he fell in with a woman named Doc and the two formed an easy partnership, with Doc finding paying jobs and places with cheap rent while Booker’s quiet and imposing presence gave them an intimidating edge over mercenaries competing for the same work.