Editing Michael Baird

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Character infobox
|variant=Human
|name=Michael Baird
|image=[[File:Michael Baird.png|275px]]
|homeworld=[[Scotland]], [[European Union]], [[Earth]]
|birth=
|death=Before [[2549#March|March 28, 2549]]{{Ref/Note|Id=date|See [[Algolis Invasion#Notes|Algolis Invasion's Notes section]]}}
|causeofdeath=Beheaded by an [[Sangheili|Elite's]] [[Energy Sword]]
|parents=
|siblings=
|spouses=
|children=
|species=[[Human]]
|gender=Male
|height=
|mass={{Convert|220|lb|kg|disp=flip}}
|hair=Silvery black
|eyes=Amber
|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]
|rank=[[Sergeant]]
|sn=
|notable=*Sacrificed himself to destroy a Covenant battle group during the [[Battle of Algolis]].{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions}}
}}
'''Sergeant Michael "Mike" Baird'''{{Ref/Site|Y=2012|M=07|D=05|URL=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/Detail/sergeant-mike-baird/37d9f94f-d323-4d9b-8813-346614544f38|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Sergeant Mike Baird}} was a [[Sergeant]] in the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] and an [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]].{{Ref/Anthology|Id=evolutions|HE|Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian}}

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:MITHOM Scotland 02.png|thumb|left|Baird in Scotland as a child.]]
Michael Baird was born on [[Earth]] in [[Wikipedia:Scotland|Scotland]]. He often referred to the cold weather he used to enjoy in his childhood. Moments before his death, he remembered how he used to fall on his back and make snow angels when he was a child.

===Treatment===
Aboard the {{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}}, Baird received treatment for a form of [[cancer]], a now archaic and easily treatable disease. The procedure was supposed to last only an hour or so, and Baird, who didn't want to miss a jump with his squad, was appeased by [[Mo Ye]], the ship's [[Artificial Intelligence|"smart" AI construct]], who said he should be up and ready to jump before they would leave. Baird was actually knocked out for twenty-three hours, and during that time, the ''Heart of Midlothian'', was boarded by a [[Covenant Special Operations|Special Operations]] [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] [[Naval boarding|boarding party]].{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions}}

===The boarding party===
As Mo Ye told Baird about the events that occurred while he was unconscious, he asked why she couldn't just self-destruct, as per [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|the Cole Protocol]]. She told Baird that this boarding party was unlike any other, as they systematically destroyed Mo Ye's systems to prevent her from self-destructing. She also revealed that they had brought aboard a never before encountered Covenant [[Huragok|species]]. In order for Mo Ye to start the self-destruct sequence, Baird had to travel to the control room and manually boot her systems. She was able to tell him this because she had left a small piece of her coding behind to watch over Baird's procedure.{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions}}

Armed with only a fire extinguisher, Baird set out for the control room, but encountered a small group of Covenant, consisting of four [[Unggoy]], two [[Kig-Yar]], and one [[Sangheili]]. He snapped the first Kig-Yar's neck by smashing down on its head with his fire extinguisher. He then used the fallen Kig-Yar's [[Type-51 Carbine|Covenant carbine]] to take out the next. As the Unggoy began to disperse in fear, one accidentally ran into him. As they looked at each other, Baird noticed an [[energy sword]] running through the cowering Unggoy and himself. He looked up and noticed the leading Sangheili had run him through with his energy sword. As the Sangheili pulled away, the Unggoy fell dead and Baird was knocked unconscious.{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions}}

Baird was awoken again by Mo Ye, who gave him four medicines, one that was known to be used by [[Insurrectionist]]s fighting [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartans]]. It was known as a [[Rumbledrug]], slowly destroying the body, but making it totally impervious to pain and damage. Using these drugs, Baird made his way to the control room, where he encountered more of the boarding party, including the leader, who donned a decorative headdress. Baird dropped his weapons and said he would give them the coordinates of [[Earth]] if they let him escape. As they begun to raise their weapons at him, the Sangheili roared at them to stop and communicated with the Huragok onboard. The Sangheili then agreed to let Baird do what he had to do.{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions}}

===Death===
Baird reactivated Mo Ye, but instead of giving the boarding party the coordinates, he removed the AI's safety protocols, allowing her to destroy the ship. Baird then punched the Sangheili as hard as he could, breaking his hand and the Sangheili's two left mandibles. He began to taunt the alien, but the Sangheili recovered and beheaded him with his energy sword. As the boarding party left, the Sangheili and Mo Ye made eye contact. When they did, Mo Ye begun counting, but then said "I'm kidding. There's no need for any countdown whatsoever." She proceeded to self-destruct, leaving absolutely nothing but the midnight of space.{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions}}

==Production notes==
*In the motion comic adaptation of ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian'', Baird was voiced by Leonard Meyer.<ref>''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian'' motion comic, credits</ref>
*[[Frank O'Connor]], the author of ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian'', based Baird's character on some of his father's and uncle's friends, who are gruff men with military backgrounds. O'Connor also based parts of Baird's childhood on his own life, most notably in that both are from Edinburgh, Scotland.{{Ref/Site|Id=O'Connor|Y=2012|M=07|D=05|URL=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816034458/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/Detail/authors-part-2/48e2cc59-eb62-4d1f-ad73-819e1bfe0f16|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Inside Halo: Evolutions, Part II}}
*O'Connor has stated that he is aware that Baird shares his surname with [[gearsofwar:Damon Baird|a character from the ''Gears of War'' series]], though the connection is unintentional.{{Ref/Reuse|O'Connor}}

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
<gallery>
File:HE Midight YoungBaird.png|A young Michael Baird.
File:HE Midnight Baird Portrait.png|Baird in 2549.
File:HE Midnight Medbay.png|Baird in the medbay with a medical technician and Mo Ye.
File:HE Midnight Collateral.png|Baird and an Unggoy are impaled by a Sangheili's energy sword.
File:HE Midnight Syringe.png|Baird administers a dose of rumbledrug to himself.
File:HE Midnight Carbine.png|Baird with a {{Pattern|Vostu|carbine}}.
File:HE Midnight EscapePods.png|Baird passing by a row of escape pods.
File:Midnight - Destroyer slip engine.jpg|Baird in the engine room of ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian''.
File:HE Midnight Confrontation.png|Baird meeting a Sangheili in the bridge of ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian]]'' {{1st}}

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Orbital Drop Shock Troopers|Baird, Michael]]
[[Category:Human characters]]