Kennedy Mehaffey (Earth-5875)

"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."

- - Kennedy Mehaffey

Colonel Kennedy Lynn Mehaffey was a field-grade officer of the UNSC Marine Corps and former ODSTs who became a veteran of the Secession, before being moved as a professor at the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, on Circinus IV.

Biography
Kennedy Mehaffey was born on the Outer colony Desdoron V. When she was nineteen years old, Kennedy enlisted in the UNSC Marine Corps, becoming an ODST, serving through the Secession. During the conflict, she was led by First Lieutenant Audrey Reyes, and the two rose through the ranks together. Together, they became famous for their reputation and impressive service career; while Lasky was known for her encyclopedic intellect, Mehaffey was known for her relentlessness and cunning in battle, earning the nickname "Icepick" for her ventures of engaging Insurrectionists in close quarters with a combat knife.

She was transferred from her combat role to become the Director of the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, on Circinus IV, where she would serve for the next ten years. During this period, Kennedy became both respected and feared among her students and staff. Because she was transferred to Corbulo "without a scratch", many theories arose among students as to how she acquired her facial scar, with cadets theorizing rumors from simple stories to absurd shenanigans.

When Thomas Reyes entered the Corbulo Academy, Kennedy took him as his protege, both because he was the son of her best friend, and to lead him to his full potential, as she knew he had what it took to make a pious soldier, despite Thomas' misbehavior and insubordination. She frequently talked to him in private at her office, encouraging him to take the course and training seriousness, bringing his late brother, Cadmon, and how much he would believe in him. Lasky would eventually change, both duo to Mehaffey's insistence and the support of his friend and colleague Chyler Silva, leading him to become a terrific leader to Hastati Squad, which later allowed him to keep his composure.

When the Covenant invaded Circinus IV on April 26th, 2526, Kennedy attempted to evacuate the cadets from the invading Covenant warriors. She was hit by a Type-33 Needler fired by a kig-yar, which exploded and killer her right in front of Reyes.