Glances into a Spark - ReCall to Arms
Title: Glances into a Spark - ReCall to Arms
Fandom: XFMR
Characters/pairings: Epps, Lennox
Rating: PG
Summary: "The good major needs a yeoman," Lennox continued. "One who knows point spreads and artillery spreads both."
Warnings: Soldierly language
Notes: I've been busy mashing these out, as life is about to go to hell for me :B This started as just trying to get their character's down pat a few months ago.
Table of Contents
o o o
Theme: N/a
o o o
Epps leaned back in his chair, spoon jutting from his mouth as he reached for the cheerfully warbling phone on the counter. He fumbled the slick device, cursed, and finally caught it, flipping it open with one hand and dropping his spoon back into his bowl with the other. "Epps."
"Bobby-boy, how the hell are ya?" came a way-too-happy voice. "Enjoying being a civilian again?"
Epps rolled his eyes, grinning anyway. "I was, Wild Bill, until about... thirty seconds ago.
Lennox laughed, dropping the obnoxiously bright tone. "Good to hear, man. How're your girls?"
"Sleeping in," Epps replied, shoving a spoon full of cereal in his mouth. "Stayed up late last night, watching movies."
"Sounds like breakfast."
"Cocoa puffs. Stop avoiding the subject. What's up?"
"What?" Lennox asked, just defensive enough that Epps immediately knew something was up. "I can't call my favorite sergeant-turned-civie and check up on him?"
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, so I can still respect you in the morning."
"It's zero-eight-hundred and some, and I'm not feeling respected."
"Still avoiding the subject."
"Do you want your job back?"
Epps paused, staring at nothing in disbelief, his spoon halfway to his mouth. "Come again?"
"The United States Military," Lennox said slowly. "Is offering you another job."
"Why?" Epps demanded. "Will, my enlistment is over. Done, kaput, over and out. Qatar was my last station, and I ended up extending a month just to finish up there."
"I know, I know," Lennox said placating. "But get this. Remember that Banachek guy? Turns out he's Colonel Banachek, US Army. And he's the new CO of the shiny-new Tranquility Air field, which is just a fancy cover-up for the newly minted 'Extraterrestrial Coalition Force'. And a certain Captain, who we all know and love, has been promoted to Major at the advice of a rather flashy-looking semi, and made both Executive Officer of the base and official military liaison to the Autobot Army."
"Congratulations," Epps said, chasing the last of his cereal around his bowl. "What's that have to do with me?"
"The good major needs a yeoman," Lennox continued. "One who knows point spreads and artillery spreads both. You'd be re-enlisted without dropping rank, and you'd get to spend your days in a nice, cushy office or chit-chatting with the new arrivals, learning about their culture, sharing ours and the like."
"Maybe you should get someone more diplomatic for the job," Epps suggested.
"The 'Bots like you," Lennox countered simply.
"Uh-huh," Epps mumbled, drinking down the milk from his bowl. "Can you give me one good reason why I should?"
"What level is your World of Warcraft fighter at?"
Epps' eyes narrowed at the fridge. "What makes you think I play Warcraft?" he asked coolly.
"That group you play with on Saturdays?" Lennox sounded way too amused for anyone's well-being. "It includes the Witwicky kid and his car. They hacked your account or something and found where you were."
"Son of a bitch," Epps said, half admiring, half annoyed.
"Face it, Bobby; you're bored out of your shiny little gourd. Your family will have a nice home here on base, you'll be able to play all the Warcraft you want, and if Optimus' plans for a moon base ever go through, you'll have dibs on being one of the first humans up."
"A moon base, huh?" Epps hesitated, desire for a nice, peaceful life warring with the action-craving part of him that had driven him to join the service in the first place. "I'll think about it," he said finally.
"I'll be by to pick you up Wednesday," Lennox replied, and Epps could hear the grin. "I'll get the MEPS here in town to write up another contract for you."
"I said I'd think about it!" Epps protested.
"And we both know what the answer will be," Lennox said. "See you Wednesday.
Fandom: XFMR
Characters/pairings: Epps, Lennox
Rating: PG
Summary: "The good major needs a yeoman," Lennox continued. "One who knows point spreads and artillery spreads both."
Warnings: Soldierly language
Notes: I've been busy mashing these out, as life is about to go to hell for me :B This started as just trying to get their character's down pat a few months ago.
Table of Contents
o o o
Theme: N/a
o o o
Epps leaned back in his chair, spoon jutting from his mouth as he reached for the cheerfully warbling phone on the counter. He fumbled the slick device, cursed, and finally caught it, flipping it open with one hand and dropping his spoon back into his bowl with the other. "Epps."
"Bobby-boy, how the hell are ya?" came a way-too-happy voice. "Enjoying being a civilian again?"
Epps rolled his eyes, grinning anyway. "I was, Wild Bill, until about... thirty seconds ago.
Lennox laughed, dropping the obnoxiously bright tone. "Good to hear, man. How're your girls?"
"Sleeping in," Epps replied, shoving a spoon full of cereal in his mouth. "Stayed up late last night, watching movies."
"Sounds like breakfast."
"Cocoa puffs. Stop avoiding the subject. What's up?"
"What?" Lennox asked, just defensive enough that Epps immediately knew something was up. "I can't call my favorite sergeant-turned-civie and check up on him?"
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, so I can still respect you in the morning."
"It's zero-eight-hundred and some, and I'm not feeling respected."
"Still avoiding the subject."
"Do you want your job back?"
Epps paused, staring at nothing in disbelief, his spoon halfway to his mouth. "Come again?"
"The United States Military," Lennox said slowly. "Is offering you another job."
"Why?" Epps demanded. "Will, my enlistment is over. Done, kaput, over and out. Qatar was my last station, and I ended up extending a month just to finish up there."
"I know, I know," Lennox said placating. "But get this. Remember that Banachek guy? Turns out he's Colonel Banachek, US Army. And he's the new CO of the shiny-new Tranquility Air field, which is just a fancy cover-up for the newly minted 'Extraterrestrial Coalition Force'. And a certain Captain, who we all know and love, has been promoted to Major at the advice of a rather flashy-looking semi, and made both Executive Officer of the base and official military liaison to the Autobot Army."
"Congratulations," Epps said, chasing the last of his cereal around his bowl. "What's that have to do with me?"
"The good major needs a yeoman," Lennox continued. "One who knows point spreads and artillery spreads both. You'd be re-enlisted without dropping rank, and you'd get to spend your days in a nice, cushy office or chit-chatting with the new arrivals, learning about their culture, sharing ours and the like."
"Maybe you should get someone more diplomatic for the job," Epps suggested.
"The 'Bots like you," Lennox countered simply.
"Uh-huh," Epps mumbled, drinking down the milk from his bowl. "Can you give me one good reason why I should?"
"What level is your World of Warcraft fighter at?"
Epps' eyes narrowed at the fridge. "What makes you think I play Warcraft?" he asked coolly.
"That group you play with on Saturdays?" Lennox sounded way too amused for anyone's well-being. "It includes the Witwicky kid and his car. They hacked your account or something and found where you were."
"Son of a bitch," Epps said, half admiring, half annoyed.
"Face it, Bobby; you're bored out of your shiny little gourd. Your family will have a nice home here on base, you'll be able to play all the Warcraft you want, and if Optimus' plans for a moon base ever go through, you'll have dibs on being one of the first humans up."
"A moon base, huh?" Epps hesitated, desire for a nice, peaceful life warring with the action-craving part of him that had driven him to join the service in the first place. "I'll think about it," he said finally.
"I'll be by to pick you up Wednesday," Lennox replied, and Epps could hear the grin. "I'll get the MEPS here in town to write up another contract for you."
"I said I'd think about it!" Epps protested.
"And we both know what the answer will be," Lennox said. "See you Wednesday.