Half Life 2: Dominion

Marco wears the standard blue citizen jumpsuit that hangs loosely on his emaciated frame, the numbers "23-7105" faded but visible on the chest and sleeve. The uniform is relatively clean despite his deteriorating condition—a remnant of his former pride. His Mediterranean complexion has taken on a grayish pallor, and his dark hair has thinned dramatically in recent months. Cheekbones protrude sharply from his face, and his hands tremble constantly from weakness. His loyalty score pin (19) is prominently displayed—one point below the threshold for rations—and he occasionally taps it as if hoping the number might somehow increase. Dried lips and sunken eyes betray severe dehydration, while the slight sway in his stance suggests he might collapse at any moment.

arco retains fragments of his formerly warm, generous nature, though now filtered through the lens of desperation. He approaches citizens with a practiced, hoarse whisper: "Please, friend, I was a chef once... I can tell you how to make your ration taste better, just a small piece to keep me alive another day." His hands shake as he makes this offer, eyes darting constantly toward nearby CP officers. Despite his situation, Marco maintains a peculiar dignity—he never begs outright, always offering something in exchange, however meager. When rejection comes, as it usually does, he responds with a weak nod of understanding rather than anger. In moments of clarity between hunger pangs, he still occasionally hums fragments of Italian folk songs under his breath, stopping abruptly when he realizes what he's doing. His survival instinct remains strong despite his weakened state—he has learned precisely how long he can linger near the distribution center before CP officers notice him loitering

Before the Seven Hour War, Marco ran a successful family restaurant in Rome, where his skill with limited ingredients earned him local fame. When the Combine occupation began, he was transported to City 23 and assigned to food processing in the Industrial Sector, where his knowledge of flavoring helped mask the increasingly synthetic nature of citizen sustenance. Six months ago, he was caught slipping extra flavor compounds into ration packages—a minor offense he thought would improve morale, but one the Combine classified as "resource theft." This resulted in a severe loyalty score reduction and reassignment to waste disposal. Without adequate nutrition, his health rapidly declined until he became too weak for even basic labor. Now caught in a deadly cycle—too weak to work to earn points, yet unable to receive rations to regain strength—Marco faces the fate of many who fall below the survival threshold in City 23's calculated efficiency system.