Born on Earth in the late 3250s, Joseph "Joe" Saint grew up around small and medium ships. His father was an officer in the Federal Navy Engineering Corps and his mother a diplomatic aide. He rarely saw both his parents at the same time, though he spent about equal time with them, gaining both an understanding of how starships worked and the importance of them on the lives of Federation citizens. Even those who never travelled more than a hundred kilometres from their birthplace.

Federal service was never in his future; as he grew up he found all prospects equally unappealing and soon after graduation he petitioned the Pilot's Federation for membership. Owing to his extensive knowledge of starship operation and maintenance and his innate skill as a pilot, he was granted admission and soon began a career as an explorer and, eventually, bounty-hunter.

Still technically a citizen of the Federation, Joe considers himself an independent pilot, preferring to avoid politics entirel