A metal plate extended from his upper forehead to the back of his head, covering most of the left side, the right side looking intact, save for a soldier's terrible buzz cut and the scars that passed through it. It made him look both scary and ugly by all standards, and he used it to his advantage, earning him the name Hammerhead.
He stood in the long corridor, his back resting against the wall, enduring a wait that exhausted even a hardened veteran like himself.
He was not used to inaction, and he hated civilian shelters the most. The many smells of humans confined in one place frayed his nerves. The looks in their eyes, directed at him—a blend of worry and fear, no matter what world he landed in—were all the same to him: irritating and unbearable.
But even he understood etiquette well enough not to lash out at the first Earthling approaching him. Instead, he took off his helmet, and that was enough to deter anyone from talking to him.
Well, "everyone" was an overstatement; there was this wee little thing who looked up at him with curious eyes, nothing like the ones who couldn't bear the sight of him.
"Sophie, get back here."
A child whispered from afar, calling to the young girl who just stood staring, a can of water in her hand. She didn't budge, nor even look away, despite the terrifying metal plate that was merged with his head and lodged in place by terrifying battle scars, clearly mending a grievous injury that had once cracked his skull.
Deep down, Hammerhead was a simple man, even kind and caring, but such men die quickly in the Legio Bellarium. Staying grim-faced while biting the bullet all day long meant he could have his nights to himself, relieve the stress he piled up, or perhaps confess it to someone who listened, someone who cared. That someone was right behind the door he was staring at, performing duties that even he couldn't help but admire and respect. However, the reason he waited for her was for a more profound feeling that loomed in his heart, something he couldn't even explain and that kept gnawing at him.
He looked to the side and saw the little girl named Sophie still staring silently. He could have shooed her away, but the innocence and fragility of such a small creature formed a wall against his aloofness and short temper. He found himself reaching into a pocket on his combat vest, taking out what the Commander called an energy bar. He broke it in half, silently passing one to the girl.
He could still feel their lingering eyes, and their gaze only made him look more unpleasant. But for all he expected, the girl wasn't at all fazed by his terrifying expressions, and she extended him her can of water.
He found it strange: he was giving her food, yet she was giving him water. She refused to take the food before he took the water. A man of his size and stature hesitating in front of that feeble thing!
He accepted the can with his other hand, and she accepted half the energy bar with both hands, and in the same motion, brought it straight to her mouth, chewing as hard as she could on the dry, chewy treat.
"Look, he gave Sophie food!"
"What? Hey, Sophie! Come here!"
"Don't eat that!"
The children from around the corner swarmed, all calling to the little girl, but in their eyes, there was no caution or wariness. Hammerhead saw the looks in their eyes, how they eyed the little girl, and he snapped.
He didn't shout, he didn't call them out; he simply glared like a demon, his head blazing with fire. The twisted look on his face and the movement of the scars on his head as he grimaced fiercely were beyond horrific.
He hated bullies; nothing good came from those parasites, no matter their age, young, or old. He'd round them up and plant the fear of Sol in their hearts, but not in this place or this time. He would rather…
"Hammerhead?"
Right at this moment, when his face was twisted like a demon from the Infernium, the ringing voice of Biscuits swept away all his rage and hatred, snapping him out of his tense moment. Hammerhead turned and saw her walking out of the operations room, surrounded by the medical staff of this shelter.
Without thinking, Hammerhead dropped everything in his hand and crossed the corridor's width in a single step, embracing Biscuits tightly. Everyone was taken aback, Biscuits herself included, but as she processed his actions, she slowly responded, wrapping her arms around him and pulling herself closer to his embrace.
The medical staff around them felt awkward, but moments later, Hammerhead noticed them. His unfriendly gaze shifted their way, and he ended his embrace with Biscuits. Realizing from his stare and the removal of his helmet that he was hostile toward the surrounding people, she patted his shoulder as she turned to face them.
Their leader stepped forward, speaking:
"Ms. Biscuits, we're truly grateful for the help you provided, ma'am."
"Don't mention it, sir. I was merely following my Sergeant's orders," Biscuits replied in a formal tone.
"The replantation procedure you performed with the blue gel was nothing less than miraculous. If it is ever possible to share such a technique with our medical staff, we'd…"
"I must apologize, Sir Physician. However, such materials are the exclusive property of the military. I am bound to never disclose military secrets."
Biscuits' reply was swift, yet the eyes of the medical staff even then didn't seem hesitant at all. They knew that the humans they were addressing were aliens, but what they witnessed in the operation room was something they considered miraculous.
Adam had permitted Biscuits to assist the medical staff in the shelter, especially with the severe injuries inflicted on Ivan's team members. One of the students had his entire hand severed at the wrist by the blade of the Gobzkin Skulker. Such an injury, without proper medical care, would inevitably lead to the complete loss of the hand; however, with the special medical supplies Biscuits carried, a difficult procedure such as replanting a severed hand was highly feasible.
When Adam asked about reproducing the supplies, Biscuits confirmed that she knew the production method and only needed her own Apothecary Workbench. Adam recognized this particular workbench from a survival installment of Wartopia, and with Elena's help, they could build it and unlock its recipes. This was set to assert medical superiority over other survivor camps and draw in both human resources and medical experts to Adam's base in the future, a plan that was already bearing fruit.
"We understand." The lead doctor of the medical staff nodded, but with firm determination, he continued, "If possible, we would like to request to speak with the figure of authority among your people. This compound could definitely save a lot of lives."
"Certainly," Biscuits replied, pursing her lips into a gentle smile. "Our representative is Mr. Adam Clay, a native of this world. He can directly deliver your request to the commander."
The doctor's eyes lit up. He immediately thanked Biscuits for the information and stormed off to find Adam, who was probably with Megan.
Biscuits shrugged, turning to face Hammerhead, who smiled for the first time as he met her gaze. Biscuits' smile widened further. Though a woman of average beauty, her hard life etched on her face, her broad smile still held a unique charm. The lines of exhaustion, her freckles, and the few red strands of hair escaping her ushanka and falling to her forehead all combined to make her, in Hammerhead's eyes, the most beautiful woman in his world.
Their relationship was low-key, and those aware of it respected its boundaries, as relationships, while not taboo, were often viewed as a burden among the Men-at-Arms. Like others, they were once toys salvaged and fixed by Sergeant Elena, but that was years long past. Their lives had since been so shaped by each other that mutual reliance became deeply intertwined, and they were each other's shoulder to lean on and listening ear more than most.
"Too many eyes watching here," he said, wanting to drag her along. "Let's go to the cabin they prepared."
"Wait!" Biscuits stopped Hammerhead in his tracks and looked past him, a frown on her face. "A little girl was standing beside you a moment ago; where did she go?"
Hammerhead looked back, frowning as he scanned the corners around them, but he didn't find the tiny blonde girl. He shook his head and shrugged, not intending to put more effort into the search. Biscuits looked at him with eyes that read through his effortless search, knowing why he was acting that way.
"Let's go then."
Biscuits respected the fact that he wasn't much interested in others, as this was to be their private time. Finally, no duties, no mission, no training; and quite frankly, the affairs of the people of this world weren't anything important unless Adam stated so.
A minute later, the two lovebirds arrived at the abode they so much wanted to nest in until the morning. Immediately, they shed the outer layer of their clothes, Hammerhead completely topless, save for a sun amulet hanging from his neck. He was frantically taking off her clothes, just as she did his. But as he took off her shirt, revealing her tactical bra, he stopped at the sight of a large scar reaching from her chest all the way down to her belly.
His action paused, his hand shivered, and his heart tightened. Hammerhead knew that scar well; it predated his acquaintance with Biscuits, but he just had a bit of remembrance, a flash of memory.
He looked at Biscuits, and a scene of blood surged from his memories like fire breaking through his head. Emotions he couldn't handle, a trauma he hadn't processed and didn't even know existed… Biscuits… lying in front of him… in shreds.
Fire, demons, blazes that did nothing against the infernals. He fixed bayonet and charged before it all turned…
GASP!
"You're alright! You're okay! Breathe, Hammerhead! Breathe!"
He was shaken, unable to process what he felt.
"Easy! Rest on the bed."
Beside him, she was always there, until she wasn't. Hammerhead looked at her and tightened his grip on her arm. She endured it, not even a flinch.
"When you…" He tried to speak, but he shivered as he sat on the bed, looking at her. "When the commander made you disappear into… this… small, weak thing. I couldn't bear it, Biscuits. Is that what we truly are? Just pawns of a game? Nothing but toy soldiers for the Commander?"
Biscuits looked at him, heard his questions, and then gave a shrug before replying:
"He seems like a stand-up Commander to me."
"Wh… Why are we even thinking like that? Shouldn't we question him? Our wills? Our feelings? Our lives? We… We…"
Hammerhead struggled for words, thinking, scratching, racking his brain, frustration piling up, but in his moment of utter irritation, a gentle hand reached for his face, her eyes looking through him, seeing through his fears, his anger, his pride, and his faith.
"Does it matter? You know it too." Biscuits was rather calm, absorbing his negativity as she caressed his skin with her gentle hands. "You may not have felt it the same way I felt it, but you seem to have a memory of it."
The moment she said so, Hammerhead felt only a slight shiver; then he realized that his fears weren't his alone. Everyone else knew and felt them to some degree.
"I think Sharp also knew, since he was turned into a small, playing pawn as well." Biscuits slid beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "We died, Hammerhead. All of us."
"…"
He knew that; he felt it too. He wasn't afraid of death, ever, but he realized that losing the world he gave everything for was a very heartrending thought.
"The way I see it, we were summoned to his world after death. It wasn't an Eternal Peace like the Paladin thought. It was still shit, war, and monsters. But… we are alive, Hammerhead. We're still together and alive!"
"What are you saying?" Hammerhead asked her, as if opening up to something he had never considered before.
"The Commander summoned us back to life. I saw it; there was no Eternal Peace, Hammerhead. It was darkness on the other side. But here, we get to be together again. We have another chance to grow, learn, and evolve. He summoned us to keep himself alive. The terms are equal."
"And if he makes us fight his wars forever?" he asked, frustrated.
"That's what we signed up for, remember?" she said with a calm smile on her face, still patting gently where her hand touched him. "But he isn't different, you know. He also fights for those whom he loves. He fought for his friend, then for his girl; isn't that what you would do for the Squad and for me?"
"Of course, but…"
"The moment he starts doing things for anything other than love is when we start to worry. Right now, let's just enjoy the second chance he gave us and keep him alive so we can have more time. Alright?"
Hammerhead gulped as he looked at Biscuits, all his anger and agitation steaming away, all his power and pride tamed by her therapeutic words.
He snuggled beside her, lowering his body to get his head on the same level as hers, and the two closed their eyes as their lips touched and pressed against one another.
But as their bodies started to perk up, ready for a more intimate encounter, two small knocks sounded at the door, making them tense up with a single jolt running through them.
Hammerhead turned with a patience he could barely maintain, and Biscuits, too, was struggling to stabilize her mood. He let out a frustrated sigh and walked to the door topless, looking at her as she sat up on the bed so as not to insinuate anything intimate to whoever came through that door.
With a strong squeeze on the knob, Hammerhead opened up with a face devoid of joy, asking, "Who's there?" But to his shock, there was no one standing in his line of sight. Other cabins and trailers were arranged neatly, while some of the Earthlings were resting in them, overlooking the common area of the shelter, but that was it.
"Oh, hello there."
From behind him, however, Biscuits walked and greeted a being he hadn't seen. Funny enough, all he needed to do was look down to see a tiny human being with a blonde head of hair, looking up at him with innocent blue eyes.
"Her again?" Hammerhead recognized the girl from before, the one who held up a can of water and offered it to him, this time doing the same thing she had done before.
Biscuits was already crouching before the girl, looking between the girl and the can of water.
"That's for me?" Biscuits asked.
With an excited nod and a bright smile, the girl revealed teeth that weren't perfectly white due to the bits of food she still had from the treat Hammerhead had given her before.
"She just wants food," Hammerhead said with annoyance, casting his sour gaze at the child.
"Fine by me." Biscuits looked up at him, smiling brightly as she crouched beside the child. "You still have some?"
"Ugh!" Hammerhead shook his head with annoyance and reached into his jacket, taking out the rest of the energy bar he had split in half earlier, and handed it over to Biscuits.
"Here you go, little miss."
Biscuits exchanged the treat for the water, and the girl held onto it, apparently not as hungry as before, watching as Biscuits drank the water in the canister and handed it back to her.
"Thank you, little miss," Biscuits gracefully thanked the girl before asking, "What's your name?"
The girl smiled excitedly upon hearing the question and extended her right wrist. On it, there was a blue wristband with words printed over it. Biscuits looked at it, but with a complicated expression, she shook her head.
"I can't read this world's language, sorry," she said apologetically. "You can't talk? Maybe you can explain it to me."
"The others called her Sophie," Hammerhead said as he leaned aside, crossing his arms.
"Sophie?" Biscuits turned to the child with wide eyes. "Such a beautiful name!"
Biscuits' enthusiasm for the name drew a wide smile on Sophie's face, making her feel a bit bashful from the compliment.
"My name is Biscuits, and this unfriendly brute is Hammerhead. Don't mind his manners; he's actually pretty kind."
"I'm not."
Despite his denial, Biscuits and Sophie shared a smile. After all, he was the one who first offered Sophie food, and he was angry that the other kids were using her to beg for food.
"Fine, thank you for the water. Now, little miss, let's take you to your family." Biscuits got up and reached for her jacket before stepping out with the girl.
"She can take care of herself," Hammerhead was still annoyed, but Biscuits stared at him while she put on her jacket until he averted his eyes. "Fine, I'll wait here."
Biscuits went ahead and closed the door behind her, holding hands with the girl as they walked off to the common area.
Hammerhead waited alone in the makeshift cabin, constructed from wood and metal scrap by the survivors as personal living pods—not the worst thing he had to live in, but certainly one of the weakest in design. His auxiliary-man mindset started to identify all the structural weaknesses around the place.
A few minutes passed, and finally, a steady sound of knocks came from behind the door. Hammerhead opened, and right there, he saw Biscuits. Also, there was Sophie, still holding hands with her.
He frowned, and the look in his eyes was enough to convey his inquiry.
"She's… all alone, Hammerhead," Biscuits said, her eyes no longer as cheerful as before, her voice subdued and heavy.
Hammerhead closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"That's natural. We're in an Infested-type world, and the population was recently ravaged," he replied, loosening his shoulders. "We were orphans too."
His words were cold, but it was reality. The two of them were most familiar with it, had seen it many times, and knew that across the vast galaxy, tragedies like being an orphan were on the bright side of things.
"She lives alone in… a box made of cardboard. The other kids bully her; they take her things because she is weak." Biscuits' voice grew heavier and darker. "We were not weak; we knew what happened to the weak kids in the silos. How they ended up."
Dead. That's the word.
Even in desperate times, urchins and orphans formed gangs to protect themselves, and as they received less attention from elders, they became ruthless among themselves: they isolated the weak from the strong, decided who got to eat, and who starved.
Innocence was corrupted in hearts that should have been pure and stainless. When things became like that, worlds truly became lost.
"Do you want to come in, Sophie?"
Surprisingly, Biscuits offered a way in to Sophie, whose expression brightened upon hearing that.
Hammerhead stood holding the door, his expression complicated as he met Biscuits' gaze after she looked up at him.
"We should do things for love, too, right?" she asked sweetly, making him chuckle twice and clear the doorway.
"I was hoping to do things for love, too," he said in self-mockery, hinting at something he had in his mind.
"At ease, soldier boy," Biscuits said as she passed through, helping Sophie in, before turning once again to Hammerhead. "We'll have plenty of time together."
A smile formed on his face as he closed the door, shaking his head wryly.
✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧
This is the third and last character development chapter, but I added one extra to fit the loose ends. We move on to real development in chapter 53.
Also, this is a big one, 3.3k words. I would split it into two, but I wanted to hurry along with it.
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