Erwin Clayborne

Erwin "Short Fuse" Clayborne is a member of the Damp Labor Corp, a special detachment within the Tremorisian Mine Guard. Known throughout the Koronus Exanse for his skill in demolitions as much as he is for his short temper.

Early Life
A member of the Clayborne clan located in Tremors largest colony of Poltava he is the eldest son of a well known prospector, Adolf Clayborne. Growing up within the mines of his homeworld he could swing a pick axe by the age of six, and was full fledged member of the Poltavan Miners Union by his thirteenth birthday.

Though trained as a prospector to replace his father, the young Erwin always had as some would call it, an unhealthy curiosity for demolitions, which resulted in him "borrowing" explosives from the dig sites for his own personal tinkering. Although this behavior was frowned upon to say the least, the Foreman of mine sixty-two saw the young powder monkeys natural talents.

His teenage years were spend learning all he could about the various types of explosives in the mines under the tutelage of the colonies more experienced workers, whom always attempted to teach him the proper safety techniques to avoid killing himself, and everyone around him.

On his sixteenth birthday he joined the Mine Guard to earn some extra money as a mercenary in the private army of Mine Baron Gustavus, a natural tunneler he was right at home in the siege engineer companies his people usually raised, though his intricate knowledge of explosives and his general destructive nature made him a candidate for the Damp Labor Corps as a Blackdamp saboteur.

Mercenary Life
Erwin took to his new role as a saboteur like a duck to water, quickly learning the skills needed in his new line of work, and enjoying ever moment of it. Finally having an outlet for his explosive tendencies. While he did enjoy serving his people beyond Tremors mines, he enjoyed the simple act of destruction more. Earning a quick reputation as a loose cannon, his superiors attempted many ways to help reign in his urges with varying levels of success.

As the years progressed, he eventually got control of his destructive nature enough to earn himself a Labor detachment of his own, named the "Dirt Dragons", they like their now infamous leader earned a similar reputation through various means, though this has caused many in the Expanse and even the Calixis Sector to label them as terrorists, though this has not stopped many Rogue Traders and Inquisitors to request their services.

Personality
Erwin has a strong sense of duty he gained from his years in the mines of Tremor and from the propaganda he was exposed to all his life, which along with his stubborn and prideful nature means he will never willingly leave a job unfinished. Though his short temper and destructive nature often do get the better of him, causing him to use far more force than needed to finish the job in many cases.

He has a strong familial bond with the members of his Labor Unit, and is typically seen and friendly and sometimes jovial while on the job, particularly when he is in the middle of rigging something for destruction, though like all his people he is slow to trust toplanders, he is still a mercenary and is easily persuaded to work with them if the price is right.

Appearance
A tall and well built individual, he is easily distinguishable by his pale skin and grayish eyes, which are common among the subterranean Tremorisians. Sporting short dark ashy brown hair, often buzz cut to keep his head cool while in his mining gear, he also has short facial hair to cover the burn scars on his right cheek.

His body sports the scars common in his trade, several jagged scars cover his body and face caused by shrapnel as well as burns from a flamer he found himself on the wrong end of once. Though most notable are his cybernetic right arm and leg, which were blown off when a bomb he was arming was inadvertently triggered.

Abilities and Traits
Due to his peoples subterranean lifestyle, he has a sharp sense of hearing, capable of precise directional hearing as well as hearing through thin walls such as those in mines, he also possesses a natural low-light vision, though not true night vision, it gives him an edge indarkness, at the cost of being vulnerable to intense light sources such as a desert sun or flood lights.

His training as a blast miners has allowed him to easily find and exploit a targets structural weak points, where as in the mine he was taught to avoid these points in fear of collapsing the tunnels, though he often uses more explosive than needed.

Equipment
Armed with an array of powerful close combat weapons and explosives this list covers his most common wargear he takes into the field.

"Bertha": A customized grenade launcher modified with a longer barrel and preysense sight for better target acquisition, even through thin walls or behind cover, allowing Erwin to better place his shots for the maximum effect. Equipped with a deadly "Jackleg" bayonet for increased power in melee combat, or to bore holes in his target to assist in demolitions. Bertha is one of his most prized possessions.

Mk.X Autorevolver: A standard pistol in the Mine Guard, this rugged pistol allows for more rapid fire in close combat while maintaining the power offered by revolvers. Erwin loads his with the rare and deadly amputator rounds, due to the increased killing power, though it is also capable of being loaded with custom shells, turning the weapon into a hand shotgun.

Tube Charges: Favoring the the heavy tube charge over standard fragmentation grenades, he typically carries a few bandoleers with him into the field for anything from trap building and sabotage, to simply throwing them at his target. Their general ease of manufacture allows for Erwin to craft them in the field if the correct supplies are present.

Blackdamps Miners Rig: This customized version of the standard Miners Rig, combines the environmental suits worn by the workers of Tremor with a locally forged adaptation of Imperial Carapace armor. Giving greater protection against shrapnel and adding more armor to the neck and joints it sacrifices agility for increased protection with only minor increase in weight. As with all Miner Rigs it comes equipped with a headlamp and a respirator as well as climbing gear and a tool kit needed for demolitions work.

RC-07 Entrenchment Tool: No Tremorisian would be caught without his most basic of tools, this E-tool combines the utility of a shovel and a mining pick, capable of digging trenches or breaking through some fortifications, though breaching drills are preferred. Erwin often uses this as an improvised melee weapon.

Friends and Allies
Vasily Negronov

Vasily is one of Erwins childhood companions and a fellow member of Labor Unit 62. Serving as a Stinkdamp Sharpshooter, he is a constant companion to Erwin, often assists in high priority missions. Armed with his own version of the Tremor Derailer Rifle.

Sten and Nico Ettenberg

Erwins seconds within the unit these twins both serve as Firedamps, armed with the customized "Nightfire" flamers, they mimic their leaders destructive tendencies through their own pyromania, barely able to resist the urge the light things on fire with their flamers or a barrage of firebombs

By
"Mining is like a search-and-destroy mission. Spend a few days looking for your quarry, rig a few well placed bombs, and collect your pay."

- Erwin Clayborne on the similarities between mining and sabotage