Archer is a marine in the Dominion Marine Corps of the Terran Dominion. Archer served aboard the Cyrus, which had suffered heavy tear since it was disgraced at the Fall of Tarsonis. In 2501, the Cyrus was assigned to transport a group of ghost trainees to the Baker's Dozen for a training operation. However, they were diverted when they received a distress call from a holdout of Confederate Old Families on Shi. Due to Travski's technomancy, the ship was made spaceworthy, and the marines and ghosts were able to escape the Shi.