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Captain Paul Dury was a Gear soldier in the Coalition of Ordered Governments army and the commander of the Onyx Guard. He was one of Chairman Richard Prescott's most trusted advisors and one of the few people who knew about the existence of Azura who had the permission to travel between it and Jacinto City. During the Locust's assault on Azura, Dury willingly remained behind while Prescott was evacuated in order to rally the island's defenders.

Biography[]

Locust War[]

Learning of Adam Fenix's Deception[]

"You want me to pick up Fenix now?"
—Dury to Prescott, after the revelation that Adam Fenix knew about the Locust before E-Day

Ten years after Emergence Day, Dury was summoned to Chairman Richard Prescott's office by his assistant Jillian Beston. He waited out in Jillian's office as Prescott talked with Dr.Nevil Estrom, who informed Prescott that Director Adam Fenix, the head of the Defense Research Agency, had known about the existence of the Locust five years before Emergence Day. He also monitored radio traffic his earpiece, since Col.Victor Hoffman was preparing for a massive battle against the Locust in Ephyra. After Nevil agreed to be sent to Azura, Prescott came out of his office to speak with Dury. He asked Prescott if he wanted him to pick up Adam now, but Prescott ordered him to simply monitor him at all times, in order to see if he still had contact with the Locust. If it looked like he was or might be planning to leave, then the Onyx Guard would capture him. Dury agreed with the plan, and left to get the surveillance set up.[1] However, the Locust launched a massive assault on Ephyra, and Adam's home at Haldane Hall came under heavy attack. A King Raven crashed into the house and buried Adam underneath the rubble, and Dury led elements of the Onyx Guard to see if they could locate him. They found him, and Dury was worried he was dead and that Prescott would go crazy. One of the other Gears examined Adam and found he was alive, and Dury ordered the others to get him out. He then told Jerge to find Adam's briefcase that contained vital information, and then to search the house. Jerge protested that it was on fire, but Dury told him he just needed to get a move on then, and to make sure they checked the lab in the basement. They called in casevac for Adam, and after they pulled him out, Dury injected him with a knockout drug.[2]

Seeing Prescott Off[]

"Grubs to fight, sir. Just guilt for doing the spa deployment, that's all."
—Dury to Prescott, about why he seemed unhappy on Azura

Dury travelled to Azura with Prescott and Nevil, bringing the unconscious Adam with them. Adam was informed about his new situation working on Azura, and the rest of the scientists on the island were informed about Lambency, which had been discovered while Dury and the Onyx Guard investigated Adam's notes. A couple of weeks after arriving, Prescott was preparing to return to Jacinto, and was not sure when he would be able to return. Dury arrived at his office to speak with him, and Prescott noted that he did not look happy. Dury told him that he did not like being on "spa deployment" while there were Locust to fight. Prescott told him he understood, but told him he did not have to live on ration packs while he was on Azura. Dury informed Prescott that he would think less of himself if he did. Prescott assured him that one cup of coffee would not send him sliding into decadence, but Dury shot back that it was first just a coffee, then it was a pastry, and then he would be griping about the lack of really good wine vintages. He noted that Prescott did not partake in many of the luxuries, but Prescott noted that if he did, Hoffman would be able to smell the coffee on his breath when he returned. Dury told Prescott he would have a boat standing by to take him back to the mainland, and asked if he had any special orders regarding Adam. Prescott told him just to keep him under surveillance, and to remind him that they had his son, Marcus Fenix, locked away in the Jacinto Maximum Security Prison for dereliction of duty and were the only ones who could keep him safe. He also suggested that he recruit Nevil or one of the biologists who was angry at Adam for keeping the existence of the Lambent from them as a spy. Dury accepted his recommendations, and then asked Prescott when he was planning on leaving Jacinto permanently. Prescott told him that he would leave once he was sure he had no other choice, and that he needed to keep civilian morale up and save as many lives as possible to help rebuild civilization. Dury gave into an amused smile, and noted that he would not want to have to rebuild the COG from just the people on Azura either. Dury noted he would see Prescott in Jacinto soon, and wished him a safe journey back.[3]

Confrontation with Adam[]

"Look, the Chairman rarely gives his word. But in my experience, when he does, he keeps it. And you and your son aren't exactly blameless, are you? So I think we're all going to have to learn to trust one another."
—Dury to Adam Fenix, after he accused Prescott of threating to harm Marcus for Adam's failures

In late Gale of the next year, Adam asked Dury to try and find out what had happened to a small bottle of his wives perfume that was among the few things he had left of hers. Dury agreed to find it, and it was located in a gap in the deck King Raven that had transferred Adam to Azura. Dury was also contacted by Prescott and was ordered to tell Adam he would be calling him later, and that a prisoner from The Slab, William Alva, who had been imprisoned for raping and murdering three boys, was being transferred to Azura to be experimented on with Lambency. He also informed him that Marcus had been severely beaten by a prison warder whose son was serving as a Gear. Dury located Adam in his lab and gave him the bottle of perfume, and Adam thanked him, noting that it meant a lot to him. Dury pulled up a chair to talk with Adam, and told about Prescott contacting him later, and about Marcus' situation at The Slab. Adam was infuriated, and began accusing him and Prescott of allowing Marcus to be abused in order to ensure Adam behaved. He told Dury that if they thought it would work, they had failed, and that the only reason he was still working was to make a future for Marcus, and that he had no other motivation to save Sera. Dury calmly informed Adam that he was just informing him of the situation, and that if he had been threatening Adam, the he would know it. Adam demanded proof that Marcus was still alive, and Dury told him that he would see what he could do. Dury then explained to Adam that when Prescott gave his word, he kept it, and that both Adam and Marcus were at fault for the situations they found themselves in and they needed to trust each other. Adam shot back that Marcus was not a coward, and Dury told him that he did not think he was, and that he just had finally succumbed to the stress of fighting like so many other Gears had done. Adam asked if Marcus could be brought to Azura, as it would make him much more motivated and give Marcus a chance of survival. Dury gave Adam a searching look, and then stood up and suggested that he ask Prescott about that. He then told him about Alva, and that he had volunteered for experimentation, but that he would need to speak with Dr.Esther Bakos about the specifics.[4]

Discussion with Nevil[]

"Well, let me put it this way. If that whole organism up ahead ends up raping or killing a kid here, I'm not going to be amused."
—Dury to Nevil Estrom, as they discuss how to deal with William Alva

A few days later, Dury talked with Nevil as they followed Alva to make sure he did not get into any trouble, but also keeping their distance to avoid having to be close to him. Dury was annoyed to have him walking around, and kept one hand on his pistol as they watched Alva walk along the beach cliffs. He asked Nevil why Alva had not been vivisected yet, but Nevil noted he was just a physicist, and all he did was bang metal together. Dury told him that he was serious, and was worried what would happen if Alva was not kept properly locked up. Nevil noted that Adam would be the one to talk to about the situation, and questioned why they could not lock Alva up in an isolation ward. Dury noted it was not secure enough, and that Alva had learned plenty of other tricks during his twenty years in The Slab. Dury then asked Nevil how he was getting along with Adam after having betrayed him, but Nevil shot back that he thought he would know the answer already. Dury informed him that he was just special forces, not COG Intel, and that it had been a genuine question. Nevil noted they were not as close as they had been, and neither of them wanted to be on Azura in the first place. Dury noted that he was stuck there, and then noted that Nevil's brother had been in the Duke of Tollen's Regiment, and that Nevil himself had tried multiple times to enlist. Dury respected him for that, and informed him he was trying to deal with scientists all the time now, who kept telling him he needed to do things that Dury thought were risky, but that he needed to make a call. Dury asked him why Alva was up and walking around, not strapped down and being experimented on, and asked what was going on. Nevil told him he did not know, and pointed out that it could be part of whatever the biologists were doing to him. Dury told him that he would not be amused if the freedom allowed to Alva ended up getting a kid killed, and that he intended to lock him up somewhere safe, but needed to know if he was a biohazard. Nevil believed that Bakos would not let him be walking around if he was. Dury considered that, and then yelled at Alva that it was time for him to return to his quarters. Alva walked over to them, and noted what a nice place Azura was. Dury asked him how he was feeling and what had been done to him so far, and Alva said that it was just blood tests and skin samples. Dury motioned for Alva to move on, and he and Nevil followed him back to his quarters. Nevil asked Dury if he could teach him how to use a Lancer, and Dury agreed. Nevil promised he would repay him somehow, but Dury smiled and told that if he managed to reach Gear proficiency, that would be enough.[5]

Visit to The Slab[]

"I'd top myself if I was stuck here, for sure, sir."
—Dury to Prescott, during their visit to The Slab

Dury returned to the mainland by Bounty, and joined Prescott on a visit to The Slab disguised as a cavalry unit officer. He ensured that the officers involved in beating Marcus would be on duty during the visit, in order for Prescott to make his displeasure known to them. As Dury pulled up the car to the gates of the prison, he noticed the gate said its name was "Coalition Prison Service Establishment Hesketh" and remarked that he had thought it was just the Jacinto Maximum Security Prison. Prescott told him that there used to be more than one, but the Locust War had reduced them to just The Slab. Dury noted that the guards would be astonished that Prescott was there since they were only expecting Dury, but Prescott noted that it would keep them on their best behavior, since they would not be able to guess when he might visit again. Dury exited the car and opened the side door for Prescott, and they approached the door. One of the warders, Parmenter, greeted them, and was shocked by Prescott's presence. Dury told Parmenter that they wanted to see Marcus, and to hurry since Prescott was a busy man. The warder quickly let them in and contacted his superior to prepare an office for them. As they walked through the prison, Dury noted the high solid walls and large garden, and caught Prescott's eye, with both of them thinking that no one would want to escape the safety of The Slab. However, they then reached an overlook of the prison cells, and realized how degraded and inhospitable the living conditions were. Once they arrived at the office they took a seat, and Dury noted that he would kill himself if he was stuck in there, and Prescott bet that Alva was relieved to be gone from The Slab. The head warder, Nikolai Jarvi, arrived, and Prescott requested that Marcus be brought to them without handcuffs. After Marcus was brought in, Dury watched as Prescott questioned him on how he was being treated, and reassured him that the COG would have need of him again one day, noting that Prescott seemed genuinely upset at Marcus' situation. The prospect of returning to duty brought life back into the disgraced Gear, and he left more determined to survive. Dury then followed Prescott to where Jarvi had assembled the warders, and listened as he threatened to have them all conscripted and placed in the same unit as Marcus' friends if he heard they were abusing him again. They left the prison, and as he began driving Prescott back to the House of Sovereigns, Dury noted that he had never seen Prescott so rattled by something before, unless he had wanted to be. Prescott told him it was just hard to see someone of Marcus' status and class brought down so low, and that he should not mistake him for a kind man. Dury reassured him he would not, but that he knew he was not callous or sadistic, and Prescott claimed that everything he did was out of necessity.[6]

Training Nevil[]

"Dr. Estrom's up to Onyx Guard standards. I'm damn impressed."
—Dury to Adam, on Nevil's shooting skills

Two years later in late Gale, Dury was back on Azura. He continued to teach Nevil how to shoot on a range outside of the research areas, and Nevil grew to become a proficient marksman. At the end of one practice session, Adam arrived and noted that he had not been aware of Nevil learning to shoot. Dury asked him what he thought, and told him that he was impressed with Nevil's skills, noting he was up to Onyx Guard standards. Adam agreed, and asked Nevil why he had not told him. Nevil noted he did not take failure well, causing Adam to cringe. He shook Nevil's hand in congratulations, and then asked Nevil if there was any word from Jacinto. Dury pointed out that Adam spoke to Prescott last week, but Adam demanded to know how Marcus was this week. Dury told him that The Slab was still having trouble getting supplies and power after the recent outage, and pointed out that it was one of the safest places to be with Jacinto under such heavy assault. As they headed back to the town, Dury asked Adam and Nevil if they had anything new to contribute to the Lightmass Bomb or Sonic Resonator projects. Adam wondered how they would give their ideas to the team on the mainland, and asked if he would claim to have come up with an idea while having coffee. Dury gave Adam an amused glance, and told him that he was simply an ignorant grunt, and that he was sure Adam would come up with a plan once he gave him the latest details. Adam guessed that the teams working on the projects were annoyed that Prescott kept asking for full reports on them, and Dury confirmed that they were, but Prescott was fine with that as long as Adam got the intel he needed. Adam wondered why they told Dury that, but Dury corrected him and said that he simply found out what they thought about Prescott. Adam agreed to help, and suggested that there might be data left on his archives in Haldane Hall that could help map the Locust tunnels. Dury informed him that they were already recovering what they could, and that it had been kind of him to leave the information for the Locust. Adam retorted that the Locust already had more information on the Hollows than they did, and had likely dug many more tunnels since he last updated his data. Dury asked if he felt sorry for the Locust, but Adam told him that he respected their skill at genetics and ability to create living weapons. Dury noted it was not good enough to stop the Lambent, and that even if the Locust did win the war against the Lambent, they would still try to kill humanity. They reached the main complex, and Dury nodded goodbye to Adam and Nevil before heading for the admin center.[7]

Return to the Slab[]

"Drains. Definitely the drains. You really should get them fixed."
—Dury to Jarvi, on the terrible smell in The Slab

Several months later, Dury returned to the mainland to accompany Prescott on a second trip to The Slab following the West Barricade Campaign, which reopened access to the prison. He drove Prescott there in a Packhorse, with a Armadillo escorting them and a supply truck. They were greeted by Jarvi, who informed them that Marcus had been given a rifle and killed a few Locust that were fleeing from the battle recently. As they were escorted to the prisoner’s quarters, Dury and Prescott were astounded by how bad the prison smelled after having been cut off for several months. Prescott passed on a letter to Marcus from his girlfriend Lt.Anya Stroud, and after a short conversation, they began to leave the prison. Dury walked next to Jarvi, and after inhaling a few times, informed him that the smell was coming from the drains, and that he should get them fixed. Jarvi told him that if the COG would stop blowing up sewers to stop the Locust advance, he could probabley get that done.[8]

Working with Settile[]

"Okay, she thinks your boss is a lying toad and she's going to find out what he's keeping form her so she can sleep at night."
—Dury to Nevil, on why Settile was investigating Adam

In Gale of the next year, Dury worked with Agent Louise Settile to try and figure out what Adam was hiding from them and Prescott about the Lambent experimentation and Alva. Settile sent Dury to find and bring Adam to her, and he located him in one of the gardens. He asked him to come along so Settile could ask him some questions about Alva, causing Adam to jokingly ask him to let Nevil know where he was, and that he believed he was entitled to one phone call.[9] After bringing Adam to Settile, Dury joined Nevil, with whom he had become good friends with, in one of the waiting rooms at the top of Pinnacle Tower. He gave him a cup of coffee, and told him they were waiting for Settile to arrive with Adam and Bakos, and asked him if he was okay. Nevil told him that he just wanted to know what this was about, and Dury admitted to him that Settile believed that Adam was lying to them, and that they intended to find out why. Nevil thanked him for his directness, and Dury explained to him that he knew that Nevil knew about whatever it was Adam was hiding, but that he trusted Nevil enough to know that if it was anything really dangerous, he would have told him or Prescott. Nevil asked Dury if he wanted him to tell him now, but Dury informed him that he was not going to do that to him, since he was one of the few people on the island motivated by decency and outrage rather than approval-seeking and fear, and that he was going to let Settile get the information from Adam. Nevil decided to sit back then and drink his coffee, and Dury noted that he was right about Nevil, and was glad the two of them understood each other. Eventually Settile arrived with Adam and Bakos, and asked Dury and Nevil to follow them to one of the labs. He watched as Settile examined samples of Lambent contaminated DNA and clean DNA, and then as she personally collected a sample of Adam's blood to examine. They discovered that Adam was injecting himself with the Lambent parasite, since he refused to experiment on anyone except himself, even if Alva was a pedophile. Settile then had everyone follow her to a small library where Dury and her had stashed Alva, and watched as she executed Alva in front of the three shocked scientists. Dury listened as she explained to the three of them that there was no more tolerance of lies or even omissions of certain details, since they were stuck in a place where secrets could tear them apart, and that would lead to the defeat of the COG and extinction of humanity.[10]


Fall of Azura[]

Paul and Nevil

Dury and Nevil discussing the inevitable locust attack.

Preparing for Battle[]
"Even if they find us, sir, they've still got to get past the Maelstrom."
—Dury to Prescott, after the Locust army at Endeavor was discovered

Three years later, the COG had been forced to flee the mainland for the island of Vectes, but Lambent creatures began appearing worldwide, and forced Prescott to leave them to join Dury and the Onyx Guard on Azura with more Lambent samples. Two years later, Dury was in the CIC when the pilot of KR Zero-Four reported that he had found a massive organized Locust force at the Endeavor Naval Shipyard. Dury was worried about how close that put them to Azura's location, and the pilot told him that Reavers were chasing after them now. Dury ordered them to get back to base, but to avoid letting the Locust track them. Prescott then arrived and noted that they had known this time might come. Dury responded that the Maelstrom would prevent the Locust from reaching them, but Prescott cautioned him about underestimating the Locust, and to assume that they would. Not long after, Dury found Nevil in the locker room working on his Lancer, and Dury noted that he was taking the situation rather seriously. Nevil told him that this is why he had asked him to train him in how to use the Lancer, assuming that he would need to use it one day. Dury told him that his job was to build bombs, and asked for him to just run if the Locust did show up. Nevil retorted that his brother would not have run, and asked if Dury thought the Locust attack was inevitable. Dury guessed that the Maelstrom would be noticed eventually, but that it would slow the Locust down long enough for them to be defeated.[11]

Paul and Nevils last stand

Paul and Nevil fighting the Locust.

Defending Azura[]
"I've got to defend this island, sir. Lowe and Rivera will take good care of you."
—Dury, refusing to be evacuated from Azura

Several days later, the Locust managed to sneak a strike team of Drones under the Maelstrom, and they deactivated the barrier. This allowed a massive Locust force to attack the island, and Dury began to organize the defense. He ordered all King Raven units into the air, and sent Red Squad to secure the entrance to Pinnacle Tower and prevent the Locust from reaching Adam's device that could wipe out the Lambent and Locust. The Locust assaulted the south and north coasts, spreading the defenses thin. Dury joined up with Prescott and fought the invading Locust. He recommended they fall back to Pinnacle Tower, but Prescott wanted to find Adam. They contacted him and learned they were on the roof of the tower to defend the device, and headed there to meet him. As they ran to the tower, Prescott told Dury he wanted him to take a King Raven and find Col.Victor Hoffman, in order to get reinforcements. Dury guessed they could find the CNV Sovereign, but noted that Hoffman would have little to fight with and take a while to get there. Prescott responded that he knew that, but they still had to try. When they reached the roof, KR Zero-One landed as Adam and Nevil refused to evacuate, preferring to continue to fight and not abandon the device. Adam knew that Queen Myrrah would want him alive, and convinced Prescott to leave and find Hoffman and Marcus to get them back in the fight. Prescott turned to Dury and guessed he would refuse to leave as well, and Dury told him that he had to continue to defend the island, and that Cpl.Rivera and Lowe would protect him. As Adam entrusted data to Nevil for safekeeping and told him to hide in the caves at the center of the island, Dury and Prescott wished each other luck as the Raven took off. Dury then followed Nevil as he ran down the stairs, and told him he wanted to make sure he was clear before rejoining the battle. Nevil told him that he could do it on his own, and Dury told him he knew he could because he had trained him. They then encountered two Drones, and Dury told Nevil to open fire. As they began a last stand against the Locust, Nevil said it was a shame he had never been able to become a Gear, but Dury told him he was one now.[11]

When COG reinforcements led by Marcus Fenix arrived on the island days later, there was no sign of either Dury or Nevil, leaving their fates unknown.[12]

Current Fate[]

25 years later, Colonel Victor Hoffman revealed to Corporal Jeremiah Keegan that Dury survived the war, one of the few Onyx Guards to do so.

Paul Dury 2

Paul and Prescott discussing the possibility o the Locust finding Azura.

Personality and Traits[]

Dury had short brown greying hair that looked like bristles.[13] He was noted to have a personality similar to Victor Hoffman when it came to the wellbeing of his Gears, but found it easier to accept the lies and murky territory that came with the higher levels of the COG government. Dury was also politically savvy and had a talent for theater, and Richard Prescott believed that if he had been born to an influential family he would have been a more successful politician than Prescott himself.[14] Dury had a very simple interrogation technique: he would tell his subjects exactly what he wanted to know about, and if they did not cooperate, he would break their bones until they did. Dury was pleased that he was easy to read and that his motivations were usually transparent to his friends.[15] While on Azura, he would refuse to partake in many of the luxuries available to him, as he feared it would make him soft and was disrespectful to the Gears and civilians in Jacinto. Dury rarely smiled except when really amused, and when he did, it was usually not very warm.[3]

Behind the Scenes[]

Crimson Omen
Gearspedia has 11 images related to Paul Dury.
Paul Dury Blonde

A blonde Paul Dury.

  • In the 6th issue of Dirty Little Secrets, Dury is shown with two different hair colours and styles, one being his original greying brown hair with a military cut, which was described in the novel The Slab, and the other being blonde with a blonde spiky hair style. This was probably a mistake made by artist Pop Mhan and colourist Tony Avina.
  • Dury's name is misspelled as Drury in the first issue of Gears of War: Hivebusters. [16]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. Gears of War: The Slab pg 55-58
  2. Gears of War: The Slab pg 88-89
  3. 3.0 3.1 Gears of War: The Slab pg 142-143
  4. Gears of War: The Slab pg 184-187
  5. Gears of War: The Slab pg 198-202
  6. Gears of War: The Slab pg 214-221
  7. Gears of War: The Slab pg 314-316
  8. Gears of War: The Slab pg 357-359
  9. Gears of War: The Slab pg 383
  10. Gears of War: The Slab pg 400-407
  11. 11.0 11.1 Gears of War: Dirty Little Secrets Part Six (No Hiding Place)
  12. Gears of War 3
  13. Gears of War: The Slab pg 58
  14. Gears of War: The Slab pg 215-216
  15. Gears of War: The Slab pg 401
  16. Gears of War: Hivebusters Part One
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