Martin was a Colonial Warrior of unknown rank marooned on the planet Equellus after a quarrel with Cylon fighters in the Hatari sector, similar to the situation facing Apollo several yahren later.
Martin was injured when he crash landed on the planet and subsequently nursed back to health by Vella, a local oviner (rancher). During this, Vella and Martin fell in love, were married, and had their only child together, Puppis. According to the best recollections of Vella and her brother Bootes, Martin had started to relax into the local lifestyle, though he never quite managed to get the stars out of his head. From recollections of others, he used to gaze up at them from their yard with the infant Puppis on his chest.
Martin told very little of his past life as a warrior; the only time he ever opened up was on the eve of his wedding night, when he and his future brother-in-law Bootes had too much to drink. Apparently either omitted or forgotten from these stories were the existence of the Cylons.
However, Martin's past came back to haunt him when a Cylon Raider crash landed on their planet. Two Centurions were destroyed in the crash, but one survived, although its memory was severely damaged. When Martin saw the Cylon, later to be known as "Red-Eye," Martin retrieved his laser pistol in order to destroy the Cylon. This attempted failed and Red-Eye felled Martin with an unknown weapon, appropriating Martin's laser pistol thereafter (TOS: "The Lost Warrior").