Character Analysis
Must. Obey. Orders.
Unfortunately, Hastings has been pretty much reduced to a robot. When we first meet him, he's just an awkward kid who flips his hair back in the mirror. But after he gets recruited to the Special Forces, he becomes an obedient killing machine with almost no emotion.
But Hastings becomes one of the heroes in this book, even though he's a pretty minor character. Sure, he killed Bradwell, but he didn't mean to — he was simply programmed to kill. When he was able to fight his behavioral coding before it got doubled, Hastings risked his life countless times for Pressia, Bradwell, and El Capitan. He even lost a leg to save Bradwell.
When it comes down to it though, Hastings is merely a solider:
Hastings is stiff, his guns poised on the crowd. He is a soldier. He stands his ground. (64.146)
He obeys, he fights, he obeys, he fights, he obeys. Rinse and repeat.