"I'm going to keep at it. Anything that's encyrpted can be unencyrpted, and nobody locks me out forever."

— Baird, on his attempts to crack A2897

A2897 was a computer data disk that contained top-secret secret information that Chairman Richard Prescott kept hidden from the rest of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. The top-secret information that was contained inside A2897 detailed information about Azura and its location.

HistoryEdit

Discovery by HoffmanEdit

Col. Victor Hoffman discovered A2897 when he noticed Prescott locking his desk during the Battle of New Jacinto and suspected him of holding more secrets from him. He broke into the desk and took the disk, but discovered it had a non-COG encryption code when he tried to read it.^[1] After the battle, Prescott confronted Hoffman about it. He admitted taking the disk but refused to give it back, determined to find out what Prescott was hiding. Prescott was unconcerned that Hoffman might crack it and even admitted he had a backup.^[2] Hoffman showed the disk to Sgt. Bernadette Mataki and asked what to do with it. She suggested to have Cpl. Damon Baird try and crack it. Hoffman showed the disk to Baird, but he was unable to crack it. Hoffman left A2897 with him to continue attempting to crack it.^[3] Even with the help of a former Gorasni spy, Baird failed to decipher it and the two determined that there was probably a physical componet required, such as another disk or a fingerprint. Unable to do anything further with it, Baird returned A2897 to Hoffman before he left for Anvil Gate.

Cracking the EncryptionEdit

After over a year missing, Prescott arrived on CNV Sovereign with a message from Adam Fenix for Marcus Fenix. It revealed that Adam was alive and being held on the island of Azura where he had developed a weapon to destroy the Lambent. ^[4] Prescott is revealed to have kidnapped Fenix and before he dies, gives Delta Squad the component they need to crack A2897. ^[5] Reaching Hoffman and Anvil Gate ^[6], Baird finally decrypted the data: information on Azura and its Maelstrom barrier. ^[7]

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ Gears of War: Anvil Gate pg 346-347
2. ↑ Gears of War: Anvil Gate pg 402-403
3. ↑ Gears of War: Anvil Gate pg 430-437
4. ↑ Gears of War 3: Act 1: Chapter 1: Abandon Ship
5. ↑ Gears of War 3: Act 1: Chapter 1: Abandon Ship
6. ↑ Gears of War 3: Act 3: Chapter 1: Unbreakable
7. ↑ Gears of War 3: Act 3: Chapter 2: Rescue