Editing Thomas Lasky

{{Era|UNSC|HCW|Post|FA}}

{{Center|'''Lasky''' redirects here. For his mother, see [[Lasky (colonel)]]. For his brother, see [[Cadmon Lasky]].}}

{{Character Infobox|variant=Human

|homeworld=[[Tricode Village]], [[Mare Erythraeum]], [[Mars]]<ref name="fud3"/>

|birth=[[2510|August 15, 2510]]<ref name="today">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2678193_Today-in-Halo.aspx#post2678193 '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Today in Halo'']</ref><ref name="age" group="note">According to Lasky's dog tags in ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'', he was born in August 2512, which would make him thirteen years old during his time at Corbulo Academy in April 2526. He appears to be in his late teens or early twenties in ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'', and his actor, Tom Green, was twenty-one when the webseries was filmed. ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'' writer Jamieson Fry stated in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5IEiHdTv7E& an interview] that the cadets are "fifteen to sixteen" years old during the time the series is set. [[Halo Waypoint]] confirmed his year of birth as 2510, not 2512, so the date on his dog tag was probably a production error.</ref>

|death=  

|rank=[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]]

|height=5' 11" (182 cm)<ref name="h4guide"/>

|mass={{Convert|169|lb|kg|disp=flip}}<ref name="h4guide"/>

|eyes=Brown  

{{Quote|There's a soldier inside of you, Thomas. I can see it. Everyone can see it. You need to see it; I know your brother did.|[[Mehaffey|Colonel Mehaffey]] speaking to Thomas Lasky}}

'''Captain Thomas J. Lasky''' ([[service number]] '''77698-41073-TL''') is a senior officer of the [[UNSC Navy]] who served throughout the [[Human-Covenant War]] and, in the postwar era, played a key role in the [[Reclamation conflict|conflicts]] with the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant remnants]] and [[Forerunner]] [[Promethean]]s.<ref name="SDCC H4 panel">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35_pXjNsDUY&feature=channel&list=UL '''YouTube:''' ''Halo 4 Flag Stabbing and Spartan Cosplay - Comic-Con 2012'']</ref> Since at least [[2552]], then-[[commander]] Lasky served as [[Andrew Del Rio|Captain Andrew Del Rio]]'s executive officer aboard the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} until [[2557|July 2557]],<ref name="ttw48">'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''', ''page 48''</ref> when Del Rio was replaced as captain by Lasky just prior to the [[New Phoenix Incident|Promethean assault on Earth]].<ref name="mid">'''Halo 4''', campaign level, ''[[Midnight]]''</ref>

|4=Silva and Lasky exchanging words following Mehaffey's lecture on Hannibal

Thomas Lasky was born on [[2510|August 15th, 2510]]<ref name="today"/> to [[Lasky (colonel)|Colonel Lasky]], his mother, in [[Tricode Village]], [[Mare Erythraeum]], [[Mars]] and grew up in [[New Harmony (city)|New Harmony]].<ref group="note">In the final cinematic of the ''Halo 4'' level ''[[Midnight]]'', Lasky states that he grew up ''on'' New Harmony. This appears to suggest he is referring to the planet [[New Harmony]], as opposed to the [[New Harmony (city)|city of the same name]] on Mars. However, Mars is established as his homeworld in ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'' and it is mentioned in the fourth issue of ''Halo: Escalation'' that he grew up with Petra Janecek on Mars. Thus it is most likely that the reference to the planet in ''Halo 4'' is a production error and Lasky is meant to be referring to the Mars city.</ref> During his childhood, he became friends with [[Petra Janecek]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/schlerf/status/437019297299181568 '''Twitter''': ''@HaloArchive @HaloWaypoint Was wondering how long it would take for someone to find that.'']</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''' (2010), ''[[Petra]]'' (''"...at one of the carnivals she and her buddy Tom went to as kids."'')</ref> He began his officer training as a freshman cadet in [[Corbulo Academy of Military Science]] on [[Circinius IV]] sometime preceding spring [[2526]], months after [[Human-Covenant War|hostilities]] between the [[United Nations Space Command]] and the [[Covenant]] began. The existence of the aliens was covered up by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] at the time, however, and the cadets continued to train to fight human rebels. Organized into [[Hastati Squad]], a freshman unit in the class of 2529, Lasky originally began as a team leader during field exercises.<ref name="fud1">'''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Part 1'''</ref>

During his time at the school, he regularly exchanged video messages with his brother [[Cadmon Lasky|Cadmon]], a former student of Corbulo Academy then serving as an [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers|ODST]] fighting in the front lines of the [[Insurrection]]. Enjoying a close friendship with his brother, Thomas was deeply struck when Cadmon was killed, starting to express doubt about the sensibility of the UNSC waging war against the Insurrectionists and viewing his training with cynicism, failing to take the exercises seriously anymore. As there were no remains their mother felt Thomas should not leave school to attend his brother's funeral. Meanwhile, Lasky continued to replay his brother's messages in his spare time.<ref name="fud1"/><ref name="fud2">'''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Part 2'''</ref>

His classmates were unrelenting in their provocation of Thomas, affirming their distaste for the freshman who did not live up to the example set by his brother. Lasky's anti-UNSC views were frequently challenged by fellow [[Chyler Silva|Cadet Chyler Silva]], a staunch UNSC supporter and keen Corbulo student, who attempted to convince Lasky about the value of their training. In spite of their opposing viewpoints, their conversations led to the formation of a friendship and eventually romance between the two. Days prior to the end of the 2525-2526 school year, Lasky and Vickers were singled out by their squad leader, Senior Cadet [[April Orenski]], in response to Hastati's disciplinary physical training. Frustrated by the verbal and physical harassment he had received from Vickers, Lasky assaulted his squadmate in the school's mess hall. Senior cadets and underclassmen alike watched the altercation without intervening. Lasky mildly injured Vickers and stopped only to acknowledge [[K. L. Mehaffey|Colonel Mehaffey's]] presence. The professor took advantage of this quarrel in her mentorship of Lasky, hoping he would embrace the warrior culture of the UNSC and inspire him to become a better leader.<ref name="fud2"/>

Mehaffey's efforts dawned on the young cadet and he volunteered to lead Hastati moments prior to the start of their final combat exercise, a contest of [[Capture the Flag]]. While waiting for [[Zuma Squad]] to approach their flag's location, Lasky had organized Hastati into cover in a tight formation adjacent their flag, an apparently senseless maneuver. Lasky ordered his men to remove their helmets as they contained [[Identification friend or foe|IFF]] transponders that were detectable by the enemy's motion sensors. With Zuma converging on Hastati's flag, Lasky positioned his squad in a formation reminiscent of the [[Wikipedia:Pincer movement|pincer movement]], a tactic utilized to great effect by [[Wikipedia:Hannibal|Hannibal]] at [[Wikipedia:Battle of Cannae|Cannae]] in 216 BCE, taught to the freshman cadets only a day before the exercise by Colonel Mehaffey. The enemy soon realized that Lasky had funneled them into a trap and they were swiftly dispatched by two sections of Hastati cadets. The two Hastati elements continued to press in on Zuma's flag with ease, eliminating or capturing all enemy cadets, suffering no casualties of their own in the process. An emboldened Lasky, charging towards Zuma's flag, finally succumbed to his ailing health and collapsed meters away from completing the objective.<ref name="fud2"/>

Examination by [[Hughes|Doctor Hughes]] of the academy's medical staff revealed that Lasky's condition was an allergic reaction to the cryo drug [[cytoprethaline]]. As cytoprethaline is vital for cryosleep to prevent damage to cells, Lasky was judged to be unfit for UNSC service and was given the option of a medical discharge. Cadet Chyler Silva approached Thomas about his decision to leave. Silva told Lasky that she would miss him and the two shared a kiss.<ref name="fud3">'''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]] Part 3'''</ref>

{{Main|Fall of Circinius IV}}

[[File:FUD - LaskySilvaSword.jpg|thumb|250px|Cadets Lasky and Silva face a Zealot's [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|energy sword]].]]

Before Lasky had decided whether he would accept his voluntary discharge, [[Circinius IV]] was attacked by the [[Covenant]]. The Covenant completely overwhelmed the academy's Marine garrison within minutes, forcing Lasky and his fellow cadets into combat.<ref name="fud3"/> Much of Hastati Squad was killed early in the assault, with Lasky, Silva, Orenski, and [[Michael Sullivan]] eventually becoming among the only survivors on the entire planet.

The attack on the academy prompted one of the first deployments of [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II supersoldiers]] in the war; [[Blue Team]], led by [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]], rescued the cadets. John killed the [[Sangheili Zealot]] that had been pursuing the squad and escorted them outside to [[Black|General Black]]'s [[M12 Warthog]] to escape to a [[D79-TC Pelican|Pelican]] extraction point. Lasky drove the Warthog out of the combat zone.<ref>'''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Part 4'''</ref>

 

Some time after the battle, Lasky was commissioned into the [[UNSC Navy]] and qualified himself as a Naval aviator, flying fighter craft. Lasky was later retrained as a ship warfare officer.<ref name="h4guide">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide '''Halo 4 Interactive Guide''']</ref> During the Covenant's [[Battle of Earth|attack on Earth]] and the rest of the [[Sol system]], Lasky demonstrated notable skill in flying a [[Type-26 Banshee]] in [[Ankara]], [[Luna]].<ref name="escalation2">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''Issue #2''</ref><ref group="note">It is never stated when or under what circumstances Lasky flew the Banshee in Ankara. However, given that he makes a reference to an after-action report of the incident in ''Halo: Escalation'', it is most apparent that it occurred during the Battle of Earth.</ref>

[[File:Initiation - S-Deck's decompression.png|thumb|300px|Lasky is nearly sucked out of the ''Infinity''.]]

By the end of the war, Lasky had risen to the rank of commander and had been appointed as the [[executive officer]] of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, the most powerful vessel in the Fleet. This posting was partially arranged by [[Margaret Parangosky|Admiral Margaret Parangosky]], who thought highly of Lasky.<ref name="ttw48"/> In [[2553#January|January 2553]], he gave a tour of the ship to [[Jun-A266]] and four of the first [[SPARTAN-IV]]s, including [[Sarah Palmer]]. This was interrupted when [[Ilsa Zane]] and a group of Insurrectionists [[Raid on UNSC Infinity|took control of the ''Infinity'']] disguised as construction workers while Lasky and the Spartans were on ''Infinity''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s S-Deck. The insurgents were a part of the [[New Colonial Alliance]] and wished to steal the ''Infinity'' so they could use the vessel for their own ambitions. Zane and her rebels took Del Rio and the ship's bridge crew hostage and shut down [[Aine]], the ship's temporary [[AI]], leaving Lasky and the Spartans to end the raid.<ref>'''[[Halo: Initiation]]''', ''Issue #2''</ref> As Lasky and the Spartans make their way to the bridge, Zane decompressed S-Deck, ejecting several of the ship's crew members into space, with Lasky and Jun being saved by Palmer and [[Edward Davis]]. With the Spartans' help, Lasky was able to reach a security panel and input override codes, which gave Del Rio and the other officers access to the bridge and reactivated Aine. Meanwhile, Palmer and Davis made their way to the bridge along the exterior hull of the ship. When Zane attempted to have her insurgents attack Lasky and the other Spartans, Lasky closed a [[blast door]] between them. While Davis eliminated most of the rebels, Palmer ejected Zane into space. With the UNSC in control of the ''Infinity'' again, the remaining insurgents were captured and interrogated by the UNSC.<ref>'''Halo: Initiation''', ''Issue #3''</ref>

He was present aboard ''Infinity'' during [[Terrence Hood|Fleet Admiral Lord Hood]] and Admiral Parangosky's inspection of the ship and the subsequent trial deployment on [[Sanghelios]] to test the ship's capabilities in the guise of assisting [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and his forces in the ongoing [[Sangheili civil war]] in [[2553|March 2553]].<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 235''</ref> With the help of the ''Infinity'', the Arbiter was able to defeat the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]] at [[Vadam]].<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 405''</ref>

{{Main|First Battle of Requiem}}

When ''Infinity'' began its operations on [[Requiem]], Lasky, along with [[Sarah Palmer]], a few marines and [[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN-IVs]] went out to recon the area. When they were pinned down, he sent out a distress signal that was answered by the very same Spartan that saved his life back on Circinius IV 31 years before; John-117, the Master Chief. After ridding the ''Infinity'' of [[Promethean]] and [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant]] forces, Lasky briefed John and [[Cortana]] on the ''Infinity'''s mission to locate the other [[Halo Array|Halos]].<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level, ''[[Infinity (Halo 4 level)|Infinity]]''</ref> Lasky then led a "blowthrough op" to shut down the [[particle cannon]]s protecting the [[gravity well]] generator that was preventing ''Infinity'' from escaping Requiem. Lasky commanded a [[Mammoth]] through the battlefield, but was ultimately left behind when the badly damaged Mammoth could go no further and the Master Chief decided to go on alone.<ref name="reclaimer"/>

When Captain Del Rio decided to flee Requiem rather than trying to stop the [[Didact]], Lasky supported the Chief in trying to convince him otherwise and only reluctantly tried to take Cortana when ordered to do so. Later, after the Master Chief defied Del Rio's orders to go after the Didact by himself, Lasky was ordered to stop him at all costs. Ostensibly in case the Chief had already left, Lasky had a [[D79-TC Pelican|Pelican gunship]] prepared for full combat pursuit, but really with the intention of giving it to the Master Chief. After informing him of the fact and wishing him good luck, Lasky left him be.<ref name="shutdown">'''Halo 4''', campaign level, ''[[Shutdown]]''</ref>

Upon return to Earth, Lasky passed on the Master Chief's warning and as a result of Del Rio's cowardice and Lasky's support of the Master Chief, Del Rio was removed from command and Lasky was promoted to Captain to replace him. When the Didact's ship, ''[[Mantle's Approach]]'' arrived, Lasky led the Home Fleet against the ship and was contacted by the Master Chief in a [[Broadsword]] fighter on the outer hull of the Didact's ship. After being informed that the fighter was equipped with a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon|nuclear weapon]], Lasky supported the Master Chief's efforts to board the ship, using ''Infinity's'' main gun battery to blast a hole in the enemy ship once the Chief took down ''Mantle's Approach's'' point-defense guns. After the Spartan destroyed the ship, Lasky dispatched [[Pelican 096|a Pelican]] to search the wreckage for him. The Pelican rescued the Chief and Lasky tried unsuccessfully to console him over the death of Cortana.<ref name="mid"/>

{{Main|Second Battle of Requiem}}

Six months after the initial battle in Requiem, Lasky was sent to Requiem again as the Captain of ''Infinity'' to deploy and provide support to the ground forces sent onto the surface.<ref>'''[[Spartan Ops]]''', ''[[Departure]]''</ref> Later, [[Fireteam Crimson]] brought a [[Requiem translocation artifact|Forerunner artifact]] onboard which started draining power from the ship. After Commander Palmer managed to temporarily deactivate the artifact, Lasky joined [[Henry Glassman|Doctor Glassman]] and Palmer to inspect it. When the artifact suddenly began to absorb the doctor, Lasky attempted to save Glassman, but was getting pulled in as well. Commander Palmer tackled him, and they both watched as Glassman was disintegrated and pulled inside.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Artifact (Spartan Ops)|Artifact]]''</ref> Sometime later, Lasky brought in Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]], matriarch of the SPARTAN-IIs and engineer of the ''Infinity''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s engines in order to study the artifact in Glassman's absence, much to Palmer's dismay.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Catherine]]''</ref>

Lasky went over a debriefing with Sarah Palmer about [[Fireteam Castle]]'s demise at the hands of the Covenant and found that [[Jul 'Mdama]] was on Requiem. He sent Crimson to take him down, only to fail, but they managed to retrieve a [[Didact's Gift|strange device]] that he was in possession of.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Didact's Hand]]''</ref> An analysis by Dr. Halsey revealed the artifact to be the AI matrix of a Promethean Knight, filled with human memories. Lasky admitted to Halsey that the UNSC was aware of the Knights having been created from ancient humans; however, the memories in the device were far more recent, originating from a resident of [[New Phoenix]] [[Composer|Composed]] in the Didact's attack six months prior. Furthermore, the artifact retrieved by Crimson earlier on was somehow linked to the attack. Lasky and Palmer accompanied Halsey as she examined the artifact, but they became suspicious of [[Jul 'Mdama|who]] she was communicating with. After inspecting Halsey's [[data pad]], Lasky ordered Palmer to take Halsey into custody.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Memento Mori]]''</ref>

[[File:H4-CaptainLasky-M45DShotgun.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Captain Lasky carrying an M45D shotgun during the Promethean incursion on ''Infinity''.]]

Later, Halsey managed to override Roland's control and found out everything that was kept from her, including the return of John-117. Despite her fury, she contacted Jul 'Mdama and attempted to meet him, only for Roland to retake control of himself and contact Lasky. When he arrived, he decided to keep her in a [[cryo chamber]] rather than a cell. In response, Halsey slapped him, scolding him for not telling her that John was alive. The two were interrupted, however, when Promethean forces gained access to the interior of ''Infinity''. Fending off the Prometheans with his Marines, Captain Lasky picked up Halsey and attempted to escort her to safety.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Invasion (Spartan Ops)|Invasion]]''</ref> As the attack on the ''Infinity'' dwindled down, he went to the bridge with Halsey and Palmer, where he attempted to get away from Requiem to prevent more Promethean forces from teleporting to the ship. At that moment, a Promethean Knight translocated above them, knocking Palmer down and swiftly capturing Halsey, taking her away and revealing the purpose of the intrusion aboard the ''Infinity''.<ref name="expendable">'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Expendable]]''</ref>

[[File:Lasky and Osman (on screen) - 2.jpg|thumb|250px|Captain Lasky contacting [[Admiral]] [[Serin Osman]], CINCONI.]]

After the incident, Lasky contacted [[Admiral]] [[Serin Osman]], Commander-in-Chief of ONI. She told him that she had been recommended by [[Margaret Parangosky|her predecessor]] to keep Halsey imprisoned or have her executed; due to the doctor's recent actions, Osman chose the latter and ordered Lasky to have Doctor Halsey killed.<ref name="expendable"/> However, Lasky did not see the execution of a civilian as necessary and ordered Palmer — who was gearing up to finish the job — to stand down but to no avail. In an attempt to thwart the assassination, Lasky requested the assistance of Fireteam Majestic to rescue Doctor Halsey from [[Copernicus Base]]. Both Majestic and Palmer ultimately failed in their respective missions, as Halsey was eventually abducted by Jul 'Mdama who took her with him as he left Requiem.<ref name="key">'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Key]]''</ref>

Later, Lasky was present as Dr. Glassman outlined a plan to free ''Infinity'' from the slipspace conduit system anchoring the ship to Requiem when multiple Covenant ships began to exit the shield world. Lasky quickly ordered the crew to battlestations, but Roland informed him that the Covenant were not attacking - instead, they were leaving Requiem, which had been set on a collision course with the system's star by Jul 'Mdama, pulling the still anchored ''Infinity'' along with it. Fireteams Majestic and Crimson were dispatched to take out two artifacts keeping them attached to Requiem and eventually succeeded. Once the ship was free and Crimson and Majestic were aboard, Lasky ordered [[James (lieutenant)|Lt. James]] to move ''Infinity'' away from Requiem. ''Infinity'' made an immediate jump into slipspace, narrowly escaping the [[supernova]] generated by Requiem's collision with its sun. After exiting slipspace, Lasky informed the crew they made it and congratulated them. Later, he discussed sending Majestic to rescue Halsey with Commander Palmer, which she saw as an attempt to stop her. They entered a lab where Dr. Glassman was studying the half of the [[Janus Key]] given to Thorne. Glassman informed them that while the artifact seemed inert, it was in fact incomplete and they were only seeing half of it.<ref>'''Spartan Ops''', ''[[Exodus]]''</ref>

Upon returning to Earth, Lasky was requested to appear before the [[UNSC Security Council]] at [[HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6]]. He and Palmer were debriefed about the [[Second Battle of Requiem]]. Admiral Serin Osman berated him regarding the complete destruction of Requiem and the failed assassination of Dr. Halsey. Palmer defended Lasky's actions in order to spare him of any ramifications. Shortly after, Lasky met with [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]] who pulled ''Infinity'' away from the pursuit of 'Mdama in order for it to partake in a more pressing matter. Lasky accompanied Hood on a diplomatic mission to [[Ealen IV]] to provide security in peace talks between [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and [[Jiralhanae]] [[Chieftain]] [[Lydus]]. During the negotiations, [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|Covenant mercenaries]] attacked the delegates. Lasky and the Spartan-IVs defended the delegation and evacuated them from the chamber. When their evacuation ship was destroyed, they proceeded to escort the delegates to a nearby parts depot. With communications to their ships having been blocked, they were left without any reinforcements.<ref name="HE1">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''Issue #1''</ref>

Lasky ordered Palmer and the protection detail to escort the delegation to a fortified redoubt, while he would try to reestablish communications with the fleet orbiting Ealen IV. Palmer refused to let him go alone and tasked [[Naiya Ray|Spartan Ray]] of [[Fireteam Jackknife]] to escort the captain and utilize her SIGINT background. As they searched the facility, hoping to find the old Covenant network and utilize the facility's transponders to triangulate the source of a jammer, Lasky and Ray were attacked by a [[Sangheili Warrior]]. Upon eliminating the elite, Ray discovered that the network itself was responsible for the jamming and informed Lasky that she could track the source of its power. After securing a pair of [[Banshee]]s, they observed Covenant ships take off towards the redoubt.<ref name="escalation2"/>

Ray and Lasky attacked a Covenant base and destroyed the source of the Covenant jamming signal. Once the communications interference was cleared, Lasky contacted ''Infinity'' and told them about the Covenant attack. [[Bradley|Commander Bradley]] informed him of the situation between the feuding Jiralhanae and Sangheili ships in orbit. Lasky told him to patch him through to the fleets and ordered them to cease their infighting and direct their ships to the planet in order to save the delegation.<ref name="HE3">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #3''</ref>

Lasky then contacted Palmer and informed her of the Covenant cruisers en-route to their site. With reinforcements too far way to help, Lasky was forced to make a costly decision. He ordered Palmer to evacuate the delegates on a [[Covenant cargo tug|small transport craft]] while [[Paul DeMarco]] and [[Fireteam Bailey]] stayed back and operated an [[Type-38 Tyrant|anti-aircraft cannon]]. DeMarco and his team provided cover long enough for the delegates to escape but were subsequently killed when their cannon was obliterated. Lasky later presided over a memorial service aboard ''Infinity'' where he commemorated their sacrifices.<ref name="HE3"/>

[[File:Escalation - Lasky and Petra.png|thumb|300px|left|Lasky and Petra discussing the UNSC traitor.]]

Days later, he and Lord Hood discussed the troubling prospect that the UNSC's hierarchy had been severely breached, as only someone in the upper echelon could have leaked the location of the negotiations. Both men agreed that the matter needed to be investigated off the books. Lasky sought to enlist the help of his childhood friend, the journalist [[Petra Janecek]], although Hood was uneasy about this decision. Lasky departed ''Infinity'' along with Spartan Ray and arrived in [[Castiglione]] on [[Escala III]] on March 10. They met with Janecek who agreed to help Lasky root out the spy in return for information about the Master Chief's whereabouts.<ref name="HE4">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #4''</ref>

Janecek, Lasky and Ray traveled to the Sangheili colony of [[Karava]]. Shortly after their arrival in the trade port of [[Kor Delban]], a Sangheili called [['Lordan]] felt provoked by Ray's attitude and drew his energy sword. Lasky attempted to stop a fight from breaking out, but before he could intervene Petra shot and killed the Elite. The trio then entered a local bar, where they met [[Zef 'Trahl]], Petra's contact. Zef informed them about Vata 'Gajat and his human collaborator, [[Daniel Clayton|Captain Daniel Clayton]], whereupon Lasky was surprised. Petra and Naiya asked him if he knew Clayton would betray the UNSC. Lasky confirmed their suspicions and revealed to them that Clayton was the illegitimate son of [[James Cutter|Captain James Cutter]], commanding officer of the long-lost {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #5''</ref>

Three days later, Naiya and Lasky returned to ''Infinity'' near [[Oth Lodon]]. During their time away, ''Infinity'' had been lured into a trap by Captain Clayton and [[Ambush at Oth Lodon|attacked]] by the [[New Colonial Alliance]]. ''Infinity'' was saved by the Spartans who captured Clayton and killed [[Vata 'Gajat]]. Arriving onboard the ship, Lasky was greeted by Palmer who apologized for her behavior following the events on Ealen IV. Lasky accepted her apology and expressed guilt for not uncovering Clayton's ploy fast enough. Palmer assured him he was not to blame as it was Lord Hood that had taken off without him, telling Lasky to just call it a rough day and move on.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issue #6''</ref>

[[File:H4 - Lasky n Chief.jpg|thumb|300px|Lasky and John-117 converse aboard ''Infinity'' after the Ur-Didact's defeat.]]

{{Quote|You say that like soldiers and humanity are two different things. Soldiers aren't machines. We're just people.|Captain Lasky to John-117}}

Lasky is characterized by his personal moral compass and tends to make decisions based on his own sound judgment. He detests bureaucracy and politics,<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday Way''', ''page 213''</ref> although several decades of conflict have taken their toll on his formerly iconoclastic attitude and ideals. This has made him somewhat apathetic to underhanded schemes within the UNSC's organization, although there are still lines he is unwilling to cross. Lasky evidently cares about the lives of the soldiers serving under him. He attempted to comfort [[John-117]] after [[Cortana]] was killed.<ref name="mid"/> When discussing a mole in the UNSC with [[Petra Janecek]], he ordered Spartan [[Naiya Ray]] to leave to prevent incriminating her in the future.<ref name="HE4"/> He even took responsibility for Dr. Halsey's actions during the [[Requiem campaign]], believing that her kidnapping was his fault.<ref name="HE1"/>

On several occasions throughout his career, Lasky has disregarded the orders of a superior if he feels that the order is either morally wrong or tactically incorrect, and will instead do what he feels is right. This actually got him promoted when he supported the [[John-117|Master Chief]] against his commanding officer. Similarly, he chose not to obey Admiral Osman's order to eliminate Dr. Halsey due to the moral issues with assassinating a civilian. At risk of being court-martialed, Lasky sent a Spartan team to rescue Halsey while Commander Palmer, ignoring Lasky's orders to stand down, had departed to carry out Osman's order. However, he is able to make "morally wrong" decisions when the mission absolutely calls for it. During the [[Battle of Ealen IV]], Lasky reluctantly had [[Fireteam Bailey]] remain behind on [[Ealen IV]], in order for [[Terrence Hood|Captain Hood]], [[Sangheili]], and [[Jiralhanae]] diplomats escape the planet to prevent their capture at the hands of a [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|Covenant mercenaries]].<ref name="HE3"/>

During his time at Corbulo Academy, he was known for his renegade attitude as an "Innie sympathizer" and was initially shunned universally by his squadmates and other classmates alike. Lasky was not hesitant whatsoever to express his views on the ongoing conflict with the colonies, even with the ardent anti-rebel stance held by the majority of Corbulo Academy's staff and cadet corps. This constant display of pacifism and sympathy towards the Insurrectionist cause did not hamper his enthusiasm to lead his team into combat; however, he preferred to use tactics that would force the enemy to capitulate rather than be killed. Many believed that Thomas would not live up to the level of excellence set by his brother Cadmon, by then a [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] junior officer in the [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]], nor the expectations of his estranged mother to, at the very least, graduate from the academy. At the conclusion of his freshman year from 2525 to 2526, however, lingering doubts about his competency as a future officer were alleviated.<ref name="h4guide"/>

As the growing [[Insurrection]] in the [[Outer Colonies]] demanded the effort of millions of military personnel, Lasky rarely saw his mother and their relationship faltered because of it. He still maintained a very close relation with his older brother Cadmon, even following in his footsteps with acceptance for schooling at Corbulo Academy. Thomas and his brother Cadmon, both seeming to be avid [[Wikipedia:Chess|chess]] players, maintained an ongoing game, using empty shell casings and shotgun shells as pieces, through video messages while the two were at Corbulo and on [[Jericho VII]], respectively.<ref name="fud1"/>

[[File:FUD - Chyler&Tom 2.jpg|thumb|300px|Lasky with Chyler Silva before the Covenant invasion.]]

The hawkish Walter Vickers aggressively despised Lasky, lashing out at him with verbal abuse and eventually resorting to public physical altercations. [[Junjie Chen]], a [[Earth|Terran]], blamed his failing scores in combat exercises on the incompetence of his classmate. Her parents both being very high ranking officers from [[Reach]], [[Dimah Tchakova]] expressed her disdain for Lasky because of his pacifism and beliefs on the war. He was not without more tolerant contemporaries however. [[Michael Sullivan]] found common ground with Lasky, generally not caring for Lasky's reputation as he harbored no ill feelings towards the Insurrectionists and lacked any blind ambition within the UNSC. April Orenski, a senior cadet in the class of 2526, was Lasky's squad leader whom he seemingly viewed as an antagonistic figure. She led her subordinates with an austere style and instilled responsibility through reasonably harsh discipline; Orenski repeatedly shot Lasky at point blank range with [[Tactical training round|training rounds]] for ignoring orders and made him give her his meal following a squad-wide punishment for their failures in quick response drills. Lasky was granted responsibility of leading Hastati upon request and though appearing to be reserved for a brief moment about his ability, she warmed up to the situation knowing that it would strengthen him. After he led Hastati Squad to victory in its last exercise of the 2526 term, his relationships with his classmates became much less strained.<ref>'''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'''</ref>

Lasky ultimately found support at Corbulo in [[Chyler Silva]], a colonist accustomed to the horrors of the war, attempting to influence her friend in becoming a successful cadet at the academy. This support and friendship eventually turned into romance.<ref name="fud3"/> Lasky was devastated by her death in the Battle of Circinius IV, and kept her [[dog tag]]s for over thirty years afterwards.<ref name="fudp5"/>

Academy professor [[K. L. Mehaffey|Colonel K. L. Mehaffey]], who had previously served under his mother, began to distantly mentor Lasky, motivating him relentlessly in becoming a successful soldier. Whilst he earned positive reinforcement by superior officers such as Mehaffey and Orenski, headmaster [[Black|General Black]] held a mild bitterness towards the young Lasky. Black often singled him out and invariably used the example of his older brother, the well regarded Cadmon, to force Thomas to exceed his benchmarks set at Corbulo Academy.<ref name="fud1"/>

Lasky is one of the few non-Spartans to have a form of personal connection with [[John-117|Master Chief John-117]]. He was strongly affected by his first encounter with the Spartan on Circinius IV, with the Chief's commendation of his actions serving as a major source of inspiration for the young cadet in his fledgling career.<ref name="fudp5"/> Over thirty years later, he teamed up with the Chief to defend ''Infinity'' from the Didact and his forces and to destroy the gravity well generator. When ordered to detain the Master Chief, Lasky refused the order and secretly and subtly supported the Chief by giving him a [[G79H-TC Pelican]] gunship to continue his efforts against the Didact.<ref name="shutdown"/> His support ended up getting him promoted to Captain of the ''Infinity'' and during the [[New Phoenix Incident|Didact's attack on Earth]], while shocked that the Chief was there, he aided him in his efforts to stop the Didact directly by using the ''Infinity'' to help him enter the ship. Afterwards, he dispatched a Pelican to rescue him and arranged an honor guard of Marines and Spartans for his official return from being [[missing in action]]. After John-117 had defeated the Didact while losing his closest friend and companion Cortana, the two had a personal, though mostly one-sided, conversation about loss and the nature of being a soldier.<ref name="mid"/> What Lasky said about soldiers not being machines affected John as Cortana had once said something similar, ironically moments before Lasky interrupted them.<ref name="shutdown"/>

Lasky appears to maintain a close, if seemingly professional, relationship with ''Infinity'' Spartan complement commander, Sarah Palmer, as the two address each other largely informally and on a first-name basis. On occasion, the two have found themselves at odds over Lasky's tendency to weigh down orders based on his morals, while Palmer favors a more blunt and straightforward approach.<ref name="key"/>

Lasky is the main protagonist of ''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]'' and is mainly portrayed by Australian actor [[Wikipedia:Tom Green (Australian actor)|Tom Green]]; stuntman {{Plain|[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0610431/ Anthony Moyer]}} served as Green's double. Canadian actor [[Wikipedia:Ty Olsson|Ty Olsson]] appears as the older Thomas Lasky in the contemporary scenes aboard ''Infinity'';<ref name="MGS FUD credits">[http://www.microsoft.com/games/mgsgamecatalog/halo4_fud_credits.aspx '''Microsoft Game Studios —''' ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Series Credits'']</ref> Olsson also served as the basis for Lasky's motion-capture animation in ''Halo 4''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s campaign and ''[[Spartan Ops]]'' modes.<ref>'''[[Making Halo 4: A Hero Awakens]]'''</ref> {{Plain|[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1394523/ Darren O'Hare]}} voices Lasky in the campaign and ''Spartan Ops''; his voice was dubbed over Olsson's during the contemporary scenes in ''Forward Unto Dawn''.<ref name="MGS FUD credits"/> Lasky's birthmarks are consistently represented on all four portrayals of the character, but his contemporary hairstyle differs between Olsson's portrayal in ''Forward Unto Dawn'' and his in-game incarnation; while Olsson wears a short military cut similar to Green as young Lasky, the character has noticeably longer hair in-game. Lasky's in-game and ''Spartan Ops'' models are based on {{Plain|[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0041263/ Jonathan Aube]}}, who bears a clear resemblance to Green, albeit aged three decades; Olsson's facial structure is noticeably different from the other portrayals.

File:FUD - PortraitLasky.jpg|A portrait of a young Lasky as a cadet at Corbulo Academy.

File:H4 Lasky Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of Thomas Lasky in his duty uniform in ''Halo 4''.

File:H4 profile - Lasky.png|Full-body portrait of Commander Lasky.

<references group="note"/>

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[[Category:UNSC Naval Personnel|Lasky, Thomas]]