Reincarnated: Vive La France

Late April 1937.

The war council chamber beneath the Palais de l'Élysée.

The long oval table had no aides, no press.

Moreau aim was to keep it as silent as possible until the last moment.

Because if this works which it will.

Than he will be two year ahead from all the countries in terms of Radar.

Because only in 1940 was Brtian able to deploy it.

Just four men Moreau, Minister of Defense Général de Castelnau, Minister of Armament Jean Vincent, and Finance Minister Paul Reynaud.

Moreau sat at the head.

He opened a thin, unmarked folder and placed a set of schematics in the center.

"This project," he began, "is not theoretical. It's operational. The prototype enters assembly in May. Field testing begins in July."

Reynaud adjusted his glasses. "You've already allocated funds?"

"Yes. Within Military Readiness line 17. It's listed as telemetric atmospheric research. No one's looking."

Général de Castelnau leaned forward. "We're discussing a radio wave detection system?"

"We are," Moreau replied. "Pulse-based. Fixed site, long-range. Capable of identifying bomber formations at fifty kilometers. Fighters at thirty."

Vincent tapped a finger against the paper. "And this is to be run by who? Civilian scientists?"

"No. A military scientific advisory body. We're formalizing what has already begun. They've met. They've corrected the specs. They've designed the antenna and signal circuits. Now they will be given the structure to finish the work."

"And its name?" Reynaud asked.

"CORA," Moreau said. "Comité de Réflexion sur les Ondes Anti-aériennes. A DGA-backed classified subunit. It will have requisition authority, budget independence, and zero public visibility."

Castelnau frowned. "The general staff will demand to know who's building listening posts on the coast."

"They won't. We've routed all site authorization through local prefectures and the DGA. These are officially telecommunications test facilities."

Vincent folded his arms. "What if Parliament inquires?"

"They won't," Moreau said. "And if they do, they will receive a map of telephone signal dispersion zones. With polite explanations."

Reynaud chuckled. "You've done this before."

"I've survived one war," Moreau replied. "I do not intend to wait blind for the next one."

Castelnau remained skeptical. "You'll need military integration. These men Ponte, Langevin they are physicists, not artillery officers."

"We will assign liaisons," Moreau said. "But let the scientists build. The army will adopt once it sees proof."

Vincent leaned in. "So what do you need from us?"

"Silence," Moreau said. "And authorization for CORA to draw personnel from military labs, requisition test sites, and be exempt from reporting under Article 12 for wartime budget reviews."

Reynaud nodded. "Granted."

Vincent hesitated, then finally said, "Fine. But if this leaks..."

"It won't," Moreau said, standing. "Because as of today, it does not exist."

That evening, in a dim corridor beneath the Ministry of Armament.

Moreau met again with the five men who had built the core.

Langevin.

Auger.

Chrétien.

Ponte.

Perrin.

They sat around a small round table.

Each had been summoned by sealed note.

None asked why.

Moreau laid five identical folders on the table.

"This is your commission. As of today, you are members of CORA Comité de Réflexion sur les Ondes Anti-aériennes. You answer only to me and the Minister of Defense. Your identities, as members, are not to be disclosed. Even to your families."

Langevin opened the folder. "We've been formalized."

"No," Moreau said. "You've been armed."

They each went through the contents.

Credentials, secure access papers, a full copy of the Galène project charter, and a brief statute of operational powers.

A handwritten note inside each bore Moreau's initials.

Auger asked, "And our structure?"

"You will self-govern," Moreau said. "With boundaries. Langevin, you oversee theoretical signal science and electromagnetic interference modeling. Chrétien antenna mechanics, rotation control, structural integrity. Ponte handles transmitter array, modulator, and cooling systems. Auger you own receiver dynamics, AGC, and pulse integration. Perrin security, logistics, and institutional liaisons."

Perrin raised an eyebrow. "Am I authorized to recruit?"

"With limits," Moreau said. "One junior assistant per core member. All must pass DGA clearance and sign Article 410."

Langevin looked up. "Lab space?"

"We've secured the disused third-floor physics wing at the Sorbonne. It will be labeled 'Long-Range Acoustic Reflection Research.' The guards will not ask questions. The key is in your folder."

Chrétien asked, "And Station A?"

"Dieppe is now designated CORA-A1. You will refer to it only by code. The installation there is under direct military control. Construction is on track. Equipment will be delivered under armored convoy in two weeks."

Ponte leaned back. "And what is our mission profile?"

"Complete Galène prototype operational readiness by August 10th. Conduct first field test on July 25th. Deliver final technical report for replication planning by November. Begin design of mobile version immediately following."

Moreau paused, then added, "If we fail, there will be no second station."

Langevin closed his folder. "Then we won't."

Perrin asked, "What of inter-agency leaks?"

"CSF engineers are under direct DGA contracts," Moreau said. "All correspondence routed through internal courier. No telegraphs, no civilian post. You are not to discuss this project with any foreign academic, no matter the prior collaboration."

Auger was already sketching. "If we tighten the staggered PRF window, we can shorten the sweep interval. I'll need a dedicated test bench."

"You'll have it," Moreau said.

Moreau stood, slid his own folder under one arm, and buttoned his coat.

"You are now a unit. A command cell. You will disagree, argue, and contradict each other. That is your job. But you will not fracture. You will complete this."

Langevin nodded. "We've already begun."

Moreau walked to the door but paused.

"This is not a device. It's a doctrine. France's next war won't be decided by trenches. It will be decided by seconds between detection and arrival. Build me those seconds."

He left them then, alone with their folders, their new title, and the work already waiting for them on the chalkboard.

CORA had no flag, no medals, no record in any registry.

But it now had a name.

And a mission.

And a deadline.