Adopting Terror Page #8

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for the poor boy.

And hope.

I'll cite you as a witness.

Character witness?

That'll cook his goose.

Those 5 generals

won't see it like that.

Not one ever saw battle

close enough to get the jitters.

And if I say that...

As Erlane's superior'

your report on his conduct

shows you had little esteem for him.

None at all. He's not a soldier.

Can you be more specific?

Was he guilty of insubordination?

No. He was the ideal subordinate.

Subordinate to everbody.

A servant's mentality.

Item dismissed.

When you say, "He's no soldier."

Do you mean he's unfit

physically? Or morally?

I see where you're trying

to lead me.

Leave that kind of argument

to the defense. That's his role.

Since you refer to me, Lt. De Scve'

I have one guestion:

When you entrusted Erlane

with that despatch'

was he aware of its content?

Or its importance?

Nor had he a sense of his role.

If he didn't know

our gun placements'

which the Bulgarians

could easily decipher'

then he's no longer

a conscious, deliberate deserter

to the enemy'

but a mere boy of 20'

weakened and vulnerable'

lost in a situation

beyond his limits

and understanding.

There are the strong and the weak.

You want me to say

that Erlane is sick'

an oversensitive and morbid soul'

paralysed by his emotions

and deprived of all will.

Thus, in certain cases'

irresponsible.

That's the word you want

to hear from my lips.

No!

Where is he from?

From a world I know. My world.

A world of highborn privilege

and wealth.

He had it all, enjoyed it all.

The counterpart is valor.

The gravity of an action

depends on one's will

to accomplish it.

I know a venial sin

from a mortal one, Father.

He is guilty of treason'

as he did not destroy the despatch.

The enemy surprised us

without a single casualty.

While we lost 37 men!

37!

You have no pity for this wretch!

You make declarations

that none can ever prove!

Or even refute! Not even him.

I wouldn't like to be in your place.

Neither do I. But I am.

I did many things these years

I didn't care to do.

Between this officer'

certainly brave, and battle-trained'

and this youth, a stranger

to violence and fear'

you have a choice to make'

without proof or certainty.

Yet we ask for justice.

One day the judges, too'

shall be judged.

They will not be asked'

"Were you just?"

But...

"Were you good?"

Head high, comrade!

There's still the plea for clemency.

Here's what I think

of your menu, Mr. Mnard!

I want whiting la Colbert.

No more boar!

You had me eat it all by myself.

I'm sure of it! I'm fed up!

A la Colbert's easy.

It's a whiting...

fried, floured...

Colbert, what!

Whiting

doesn't walk the streets here!

Work it out!

Now what?

We're on manoeuvres again?

Sofia, Bucharest, Sofia!

And now the Danube delta!

What the hell for?

And the men are asking why

they haven't been demobilized.

Because we're an Expeditionary Force

now, my boy.

Expeditionary meaning peace

on a war footing!

I'm listening.

You didn't come to chitchat?

No, sir. I wish to be relieved

of my judicial functions.

Relieved? You're resigning?

You dare bother me in the midst

of the umpteenth packing!

You take me for

a five-and-ten floorwalker?

You can't guit. I dismiss you!

Back to your unit!

Destination:
The bloody Danube!

I've got it!

I've got the missing file!

Hey, warden'

we're freezing our butts off!

So which car is ours?

- What's happening?

- That Romanian officer...

I filed a reguest for dismissal.

He died!

So your reguest's kaput, too!

In a hurry? OK. Forward, march!

Class of '11! Eight years away

from home! Goddam!

7 years for me. Enough!

We fought for France. Even here.

Now they want us to fight an enemy

who isn't our enemy anymore...

The Hungarians.

Even a former ally, the Russians!

Our families are waiting'

our wives'

kids we hardly know'

our jobs, our land. Life, what!

It can't go on like this.

We gotta put our foot down.

I do, anyway.

War at home ended a year ago!

I say:
Enough!

And I raise you 300...

What a bluffer!

A regular cathouse card shark!

I'm cleaned out! Finished!

You had nothing?

Own up... you had nothing.

And no sh*t, y'hear?

Or I'll take your belts

and suspenders!

Hey, warden, I didn't know

you were such an ass!

Beyond the river, the Bolsheviks.

You, here.

Me, behind the hill.

And then what?

We wait for them.

I've just seen Erlane.

His execution is in three days.

No remorse?

Ground arms!

At ease!

Sergeant Lanzec...

Front and center!

You refused sentry duty?

Sentry duty against whom, sir?

The war's been over for 7 months.

I have no more enemies now.

My comrades and I

reguest our return to France.

Those who agree, step forward!

Gendarmes!

Take them away!

To the stockade, with the others!

Those who broke rank...

Left!

Lanzec'

you'd be with me

if not for your asthma.

If it was to do all over'

I wonder...

This all seems so stupid

and pointless.

You believe the war's over, too?

The war, no. All wars!

You're wrong, my boy.

It's only the start.

Red vs. White'

anarchy vs. Law'

believers vs. Cynics'

good vs. Evil...

"The final combat..."

that's their anthem!

They have nothing:

No arms, no food, no chiefs...

They have hope. It's terrifying.

The Old Man planned it all?

You can tell.

We defend the road.

No access, that way.

- Oh, yeah?

- Too deep.

The dodo who decided that

just dipped his toe in.

"General, I'm sinking..."

"It's up to my ankle!"

What a bunch of...!

I'd come this way!

Lying low on rafts, skiffs...

And suddenly...!

Up there, you'll only mow

down the frogs!

He's right.

So?

You position there and cover.

But that's desertion of post...

3 years in the keep!

Do as you like, boys.

But a word of advice:

Keep the machine-guns mobile.

Coming, warden?

Something moved!

- Seen anything?

- Nope...

But something moved!

1st and 2nd companies, follow me!

Set up heavy machine-guns

facing the marsh!

We're not the enemy!

Those muzhiks are!

The command post's not answering!

They're in the latrine!

You oughta know!

Do a good deed, Lt.!

2 cases of grenades!

Grenais, Beuillard, the grenades!

I'll take responsibility!

Let's go, boys!

Machine-guns! Bring the gunners'

if they like it or not!

If there're rifles in reserve'

help yourselves!

Take these and move it - or else!

I've never used grenades!

It's high time you learned!

Beats the firing sguad!

Bastards! Scumbags!

Stop, Conan!

They're retreating!

Keep going, old man!

C'mon, Rouzic!

We'll get you, you buzzards!

Kill 'em all!

He got it in the back

of the neck.

"And thus Jean Erlane met his death,

facing the enemy,

"redeeming his past behavior

with heroic conduct.

"I can assure you, Madam,

that he did not suffer.

"He will be remembered

with gratitude by the regiment,

"for his part in the action

led by the group of prisoners.

"I know that even the sincerest

of words cannot alleviate the pain.

"Yet I wish to express

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