Colton
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| Full name | Colton Buerger |
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| Date of Birth | 13.Oct.2486 |
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| Siblings |
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| Assignment | Security for the Wulver |
| Gender | Male |
| Eyes and Hair | Brown/Brown |
| Height and Weight | 5'11" & 187 |
| Military Service | |
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| Employment History | |
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June 2532-current: Gunhand, Wulver | |
Description
Well, here it is, the short and skinny of it. Fellow's topped off with a dirty, well worn, black rancher style cowboy hat. From beneath this headwear is the scraggly sort of hair that is best tied back in a dirty brown ponytail, one that hangs to about the middle of his neck. His face is shadowy from a days worth of beard growth and there's lines appearing at the corners of his hardset brown eyes and mouth. One of them mouths that don't do to well with smiling. His nose is straight and maybe a little hooked, but there's noticable wrinkles about his whole face. Either from age or stress level.
Personality
Colton has a rather quiet disposition towards strangers, but even more so towards those who get to know him. While he will frequently speak 'of' his past, he very rarely talks 'about' it. In fact, that's a sure shot way to get him to close off is to start him talking to much. While he is often mistaken for a 'bad' man, he's got a good soul that's just gotten a little dirty over the years. Few have questioned his loyalty, but nobody is willing to say they're his friend, more temporary associates until paths diverge.
Birthin'
Oct 13th 2486. For those keen on keeping score of exact dates, that's the one into which Colton Buerger was born. Heran by birth, father was name of Martin Buerger and mother name of Clara Ann Buerger. The third oldest of seven children, Josiah, Jeremiah, Colton, and George with three sisters: Bethany, Clara, and Susanna. Their mother died soon after the birth of their last sibling Susanna from complications during pregnancy.
The Buerger's were, and the family is still to a smaller extent, respected Heran Cattle ranchers. Martin Buerger was an honest god fearing man who did business with a handshake and taught his children right from wrongs. Though hard at times, there was no lack for freedom in the household. George, most notably, was a local actor of some repute when not on the cattle drive. Learning the ways of Cowboying from a young age, Colton took to shooting fairly easy. A sharp eye a steady hand and a need to protect the cows turned him into a prodigal shootist by the age of 13. Competing in local prize hunting compotetions up until the outbreak of war.
Wartime
War defines a man. Always has defined men, really. Don't know that there's ever been much distinction between 'our' wars and 'their' wars, 'sept who lived them. All throughout the history of human's as a species we find men bringin' up sticks 'gainst one another. Sometimes it's just for food, land, or survival. Most the time, it's about one keepin' the other from definin' the nature of what is. I believe, or did anyhow, that people are free and clear to judge their ownself. Now that's an opinion and there's them that have differin' ones. So it came to takin' up sticks 'gainst each other again.
Josiah, Jeremiah, and Colton, all three over the age of 17, were allowed by their father (though begrudgingly) to sign on with the 72nd Heran regulars. Fighting alongside one another for several early engagements. Skirmish battles with Alliance Military scouts, until the battle of Khan's Hill. Colton distinguished himself at the battle by engaging in a diversion from the line with twelve other soldiers against surmountable odds from Alliance troops. Continuing to fight for two days, with limited food, water, or ammunition. Leading the advancing parties away from the main Force positioning across the Hill through back woods, with heavily sustained wounds. Two of Colton's cousins, Alexander Buerger and Monrow Chang were KIA, while Colton was noted for having had no less than four bullets removed from his body, with a number of other wounds sustained during the diversionary retreat.
Moved from Hera to Alexandria, the 72nd was assigned to protect an Air Tank landing field known as Colver Landing Fields. Happened upon by Alliance scouts, the fields were besieged by overwhelming odds. Early in the morning of July 3rd 2504, Alliance forces rushed the field amidst a barrage artillary fire. The 72nd lost a third of it's fighting force while defending the six air tanks. As the fighting drew on, sustaining heavy casualties, the companies Lt called for a volunteer squad to attempt to outflank and destroy the artillary pieces that prevented the browncoats from mounting an effective defense. Colton and a small group of Recons distinguished themselves by knocking out five of the thirteen barrier guns before the call to retreat was sounded. For their valorous service, the seven men were given the Medal of Service.
Colton fought with his brothers across most of the Rim, but it was not until Serenity Valley, on their home planet, where they were joined by their youngest brother George. Then only seventeen, he had worked with the cows, acting as the families vet since he was eight. With a shortage of trained physicians, he was assigned the right bunker platoon's medic with his three older brothers who had all served with distinction. The realization of the war quickly sank in for the Buerger clan when George, within the first hour of his duties with the Browncoats, was shot by small arms fire and mortally wounded. Followed by a charge from purplebellies on their position, Josiah and Colton were both wounded by a grenade, while Jeremiah was shot and killed along with three of others from the platoon.
Though the held the trench, they were left with two dead brothers only five remaining soldiers, and all of them wounded. No medic, the only thing they had with any great supply, was ammunition. Colton and Josiah rallied the remaining platoon to hold off for another six and a half days, until the ultimate defeat of the Independent brigades.
After the Wars, after the signing of treaties and the release of the Browncoat militias to their homes, Colton had no real desires as to going back to a life as a cattle man. Had seen and lost to much to find any comfort in that kind of life.
