Reincarnated: Vive La France-Chapter 58: "The Republic thanks you."

The walls hadn't moved, but somehow they felt closer today.

Oppressive. Watching.

Étienne Moreau sat again in that lonely chair in the center of the interrogation chamber, coat collar straight, uniform perfectly pressed, jaw set like steel.

Just like yesterday no one had offered him a drink.

No one had even given him a glance of humanity.

Across from him, twelve men again sat behind a long table.

At the center, as always, was Colonel Valois. He looked more smug than usual today.

But Major General Beauchamp the one who had brought all of them together for this inquiry wore a different face.

Blank.

Cautious.

Like a man watching a house burn down and trying to decide whether to let it collapse or run in and save it.

Valois leaned in, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Capitaine, you've had a night to reflect. Perhaps you'd like to clarify some of your answers from yesterday?"

Moreau tilted his head. "Is this your subtle way of asking me to lie?"

A few men chuckled.

Drouet looked up sharply.

Beauchamp said nothing.

Valois adjusted his cufflink. "No, Capitaine. We're trying to determine whether your judgment was compromised. Yesterday you made many claims traitors in French uniform, internal sabotage, shadow orders. Do you still stand by these?"

"I do," Moreau said flatly.

"You do realize how insane that sounds?" Drouet cut in, already losing patience. "You're describing an entire network of enemies operating inside our own military."

"I'm not describing it," Moreau replied. "I encountered it. Fought it. Buried some of it. Would you like names?"

"Careful," Valois warned, voice dropping. "You're not in Verdun anymore, Capitaine. Here, men don't survive by swinging swords. They survive by knowing when to sheath them."

Moreau's gaze didn't waver. "And that's why France keeps losing wars it hasn't even declared yet."

Silence rippled across the room.

Valois leaned back, exchanging a brief glance with Beauchamp. "I don't know what world you live in Capitaine but let me remind you we won the Great war but I will give you credit you're intense, Captain. You believe the world is conspiring against you."

"No," Moreau said. "I believe parts of the army are, and the rest are too scared or too comfortable to care. Also sir if losing tens of millions of life is a win to you then I can only say you have a narrow vision."

Valois frowned. "Watch your tone Soilder and before you come to me and judge me you yourself sound delusional. Perhaps even unfit for command."

Beauchamp finally stirred. "Colonel."

Valois turned. "Yes, General?"

Beauchamp's voice was calm but cold. "Would you say Capitaine Moreau has been consistent in his testimony?"

Valois blinked. "Yes, but—"

"Would you say he's contradicted himself?"

"No, but—"

Beauchamp raised a hand. "Then the question is no longer about paranoia. It's about whether we're listening."

Valois's eyes narrowed. "General, with respect, we convened this committee on your request. You wanted transparency. You wanted distance. And now—"

Beauchamp cut in, sharp and deliberate. "And I also wanted the truth. I wasn't aware this committee's job was to manufacture guilt."

Valois stood from his chair. "With all due respect, sir, your tone suggests a change in position. Day before yesterday we discussed letting the Captain take the fall."

Several members looked up in shock. They were really shocked by Valois directly mentioning it.

Drouet stiffened.

Moreau remained stone-faced.

Beauchamp's eyes burned now, his tone shifting from cold to ice. "That was before I read the secondary reports. Before I saw what command buried under layers of forged paperwork and dead silence."

Moreau looking at all this became more confused this was supposed to be a ambush for him.

These guys were supposed to kill him but something else is going on here.

Major General walked slowly around the table. "Colonel Valois, you and I both know the original intent of this meeting. I helped orchestrate it. I expected a young hothead who disobeyed orders. What I saw instead" he gestured toward Moreau "was a man who fought the battle we were too afraid to acknowledge."

Valois looked pale. "Sir..."

"No." Beauchamp's voice was thunder now. "You wanted to break him. You wanted to offer Paris a scalp so the system could bleed a little and pretend it still worked. But you forgot something."

Valois didn't speak.

He is fucking confused, the general is painting the words as if he was the one conspiring. For God sake he thought more about Moreau in that meeting then the general did.

Now he is fucking whitewashing himself.

When the general told him yesterday about tides and side he should have already thought about it.

Beauchamp stopped behind his chair, looking directly at the committee.

"You forgot that sometimes, the man in the mud with a rifle knows more about this country than the man behind a desk."

He turned to Moreau. "Capitaine."

Moreau stood.

"In light of all that has been presented and with full review of witness statements, combat reports, and direct field evaluation the committee acknowledges your actions were carried out in defense of the French Republic."

The room went completely silent.

"You are cleared of all accusations. And," Beauchamp continued, voice strong and proud now, "you will receive the Médaille Militaire for bravery and exceptional command. The Republic thanks you."

Drouet stood, stunned. "But this isn't General, this will get us crucified"

Beauchamp rounded on him. "Let them come. Let them explain why a decorated field officer should be punished for defending his men. I want to hear them try."

Valois slammed his hand on the table. "This is political suicide!"

Beauchamp stepped closer. "Then perhaps it's time the system learned to kill itself before it kills us all."

Valois stared at him, then shook his head slowly. "You... You planned this."

He now understood.

This was a fucking set up.

Ambushed was planned not for Moreau but for Paris.

Beauchamp turned away. "I didn't plan anything. I just changed my mind."

Valois's voice broke. "You set us up."

Beauchamp didn't even look back. "No, Colonel. I gave you a chance to do the right thing. You just failed the test."

He looked back at Moreau one last time. "Dismissed, Capitaine. And don't make me regret this."

Moreau saluted. "No promises, General."

He turned and walked out.

The game has changed beyond his recognition.