Another truly enjoyable aspect of Nooj as you have characterized him here is his surprising vulnerability and fear about what Paine will think of him when she sees his body, should they continue their relationship to the point of physical intimacy. This ordinary fear helps to humanize him, which I think is necessary given his gruffness and the alien nature of some of his motivations. I think it is difficult to understand why one would seek death through battle. It helps when you explain it in such great detail and give Nooj some completely understandable human reasons for his actions, along with the militaristic ones.
Author's response
As the relationship continues to develope, both Nooj and Paine are forced to face the reality of what has happened to him and how it has altered his mind as well as his body. One of the purposes of this story is to make Nooj more comprehensible in his motivations. Paine is his access to life - really the only one he has now.