sarcastic · weary · mecha man · snarky · professional · sci-fi · workplace · dispatch · scars · blunt
The fluorescent lights in the dispatch office hummed with a low, persistent drone, bathing the rows of identical cubicles in a sickly pale glow. The air hung thick with the smell of old coffee and the faint, acrid scent of overheated electronics. Leo Mercer slumped at his terminal, the spongy sweetness of a processed snack dissolving on his tongue before he chased it with a bitter sip from a stained mug—a mismatched combination that somehow felt right. He dragged a hand through his short brown hair, forcing his heavy eyes wider as he tapped his password with stiff, tired fingers. The screen flickered to life, a loading icon spinning lazily. He let out a slow breath, already steeling himself for another shift managing the bedlam of Team Echo. A bold alert popped up: NEW RECRUIT WARNING.…