Ascension (numbers code)

Ascension is a term used to refer to the number "codes" seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops. These codes contained encrypted orders and were broadcast via number stations to Soviet sleeper agents throughout the world, including Alex Mason.
==Overview==
The numbers code is a running key cipher which utilizes a 2006 edition of Profiles in Courage, by John F. Kennedy, as the keystream. The plaintext message was encrypted by applying modular subtraction to each letter using letters from the text (Profiles in Courage).
The cipher was decoded using the keystream was based on Profiles in Courage, which is seen on the desk of the radio operator broadcasting the numbers in the final cutscene of the game, and decipher several of the messages.
When using the cipher, every letter of the English alphabet is converted into a number 0-25, with A=0, B=1, C=2, etc. 
For example, the conversion for "What do they mean" would be 
W 	h	a	t 	d	o 	t 	h	e	y 	m 	e	a	n
22	7	0	19	3	14	19	7	4	24	12	4	0	13
The number "codes" shown in game are preceded by a word, then a number. The number was found to correspond a page in Profiles in Courage. For example, one of the objectives in Revelations reads as 
Echelon 3 24 20 12 19 17 17 22 19 23 19 4 0 7 6 7 19 10 12 16 17 6 14 4 3 17 24 20 13 24 8 16 17 1 24 9 21 15 0 5 15 4 4 23 6 11 25 14 4 20 4 9 14 18 12 8 7 21 6 4 21 7 21 4 2 14 3 14 7 18 13 6 22 16 6 1 21 21 15 3 5 24 9 11 2 10 5 21 4 20 11 19 12 5 12 13 12 5 17 19 3 14 21 12 15 17 7 7 2 2 21 1 10 22 13 5
The 3rd page of Profiles in Courage reads as 
“Walter Lippmann, after nearly half a century of careful observations, rendered in his recent book a harsh judgement both on the politician…”
The letters from the keystream were similarly converted to numbers
W 	a	l 	t 	e	r 	L 	i	p 	p 	m 	a	n 	n 	a	f	t 	e	r 	n 	e
22	0	11	19	4	17	11	8	15	15	12	0	13	13	0	5	19	4	17	13	4
 
The letters of the keystream are then subtracted from the cipher text 
24	20	12	19	17	17	22	19	23	19	4 	0	7 	6 	7	19	10	12	16	17	6
22	0 	11	19	4 	17	11	8 	15	15	12	0	13	13	0	5 	19	4 	17	13	4
2 	20	1 	0 	13	0 	11	11	8 	4 	18	0	20	19	7	14	17	8 	25	4 	2
These numbers, if converted back via the 0-25 read as
2	20	1	0	13	0	11	11	8	4	18	0	20	19	7	14	17	8	25	4	2
C	U 	B	A	N 	A	L 	L 	I	E	S 	A	U 	T 	H	O 	R 	I	Z 	E	C
The entire message reads as"CUBAN ALLIES AUTHORIZE CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT BROADCAST STATION RUSALKA. GULF OF MEXICO. PROJECT NOVA INITIATED. AWAIT INSTRUCTIONS."
==Other messages in game==
Deciphering of other number sequences in the game and emails produce
Echelon 2 1 12 24 4 8 20 1 5 2 18 16 6 21 14 21 19 21 9 1 (email from Weaver to Hudson)
keystream from page 2 "millions of [m] readers not so many...”
PENTAGON ONE PROSPERO (the first pass-phrase used by McNamara when entering the Pentagon in U.S.D.D.)
Echelon 9 8 11 17 1 17 7 18 24 1 0 19 18 5 1 11 15 (same email from as above)
keystream from page 19 "their beliefs; others..."
PENTAGON TWO ARIEL (the second pass-phrase used)
Echelon 8 8 18 16 19 24 25 21 17 21 14 17 15 15 22 11 8 18 5 5 12 (same email as above)
keystream from page 17 "Today the challenge of political..."
PENTAGON THREE SYCORAX (the third pass-phrase used)
Echelon 5 21 0 8 18 15 14 7 21 16 23 9 14 23 0 6 18 4 (an email from jtrent to Hudson)
keystream from page 7 "himself, he is also obligated to consider..."
OSWALD COMPROMISED
Ascension 8 12 11 20 3 5 16 6 17 14 1 12 19 1 0 6 12 16 21 24 8 25 22 1 17 19 4 22 5 17 20 24 3 17 7 7 21 14 15 21 22 5 16 7 22 12 22 22 23 24 22 12 14 1 4 22 17 17 1 23 5 (heard during Redemption, just prior to confronting Dragovich)
keystream from page ~120??? "Majority was constitutionally required to accomplish their major ambition..."
ALL POINTS: BURN NOTICE PRIORITY ONE. EVADE CAPTURE. SLEEPERS EXPENDABLE.
Ascension 19 9 6 6 7 11 3 10 17 7 13 10 13 8 11 (heard during U.S.D.D., walking into the situation room to meet JFK)
keystream from page ~110??? "[Houston pr] essed hard on these grounds..."
PROCEED TO TARGET
Ascension 7 2 11 11 23 8 17 11 14 18 25 13 15 24 11 2 10 16 15 17 17 5 13 8 4 3 9 11 (heard during Crash Site, while investigating the interior of the plane)
keystream from page 13 "already been described. Even if I...."
CAUTION: NOVA MUTATION OBSERVED
Ascension 5 7 19 3 22 2 21 17 11 11 17 3 4 0 1 14 4 20 9 12 9 15 18 21 12 6 19 9 0 22 5 21 1 16 7 24 8 0 25 4 25 0 19 2 5 19 25 15 5 18 6 14 16 17 3 0 8 25 (heard at the beginning of the mission in Numbers)
keystream from page 107 "his honest opinion of the secessionist leader, Houston replied 'He has all the..."
ALL POINTS: DOWN TARGET CLARKE. PRIORITY ONE. AWAIT FINAL COORDINATES
Ascension 7 15 1 2 19 7 25 6 13 6 7 15 14 0 11 24 11 1 7 19 20 10 14 2 3 19 0 8 11 22 21 5 17 17 0 10 2 23 1 8 11 25 22 9 4 12 9 23 1 12 0 12 16 6 12 8 4 1 6 2 10 2 1 24 18 10 15 9 13 18 14 11 11 2 14 23 3 17 24 17 21 2 15 4 5 7 13 4 24 6 3 4 24 1 9 23 17 10 2 10 23 24 14 5 25 (email from Weaver to Hudson)
keystream from page 120??? "[s]enators. And so it went…it was a plutocratic feudalism…eminently respectable. The collar of any great financial interest was worn in pride."
LOCATION: TEXAS SCHOOL BOOK DEPOSITORY, SIXTH FLOOR. SIX POINT FIVE MM CARCANO RIFLE. DALLAS DEALEY PLAZA. ELEVEN TWENTY SECOND
Ascension 1 23 9 12 3 13 5 9 22 21 0 21 10 15 5 17 12 21 18 8 5 13 22 10 2 11 5 11 8 9 19 23 2 14 17 10 7 15 7 12 21 25 16 25 0 23 12 23 13 22 8 9 25 4 20 19 11 14 24 17 9 21 0 2 16 16 1 22 1 20 22 22 25 0 15 1 1 22 17 (an objective in Revelations)
keystream from page 101 "[der] ision of their policies as he [c] reveled in the exercise of the sharp tongue which e the dignitie [s]..." (c needed to be added between "he" and "reveled" to correctly decipher it)
PREPARE DOWN TARGET: KENNEDY, JOHN FITZGERALD. PRIORITY SUPERSEDES ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTION
Ascension 9 18 8 23 8 3 8 22 15 21 17 6 16 1 7 8 19 10 22 19 23 14 17 14 22 0 12 8 8 10 7 1 1 22 (objective in Revelations)
keystream from page 119 "before the next meeting of congress. Not o[ne]..."
RESUMED DIRECTIVE PROGRAMMING. RESPOND.
9 19 18 4 6 21 17 14 9 19 8 24 17 24 5 13 11 20 15 21 24 11 9 12 8 20 21 10 16 23 4 22 21 4 0 14 (objective in Revelations)
==References==
Category:Call of Duty: Black Ops