"I'm a Sergeant with SWAT," he said, shoulders straightening, his barrel chest seeming all the broader for the motion. To his mind there was no reason to hide his pride, hard-earned and entirely deserved as it was. "Orange County now, started out back home with Corpus Christi. Never a dull moment." It pleased him to think on the life he had chosen, how well it had suited him on a level almost soul-deep. It felt right to have a weapon in his hand, to be in a combat situation every day of his life. Now that that also involved coming home to Lia, there was nothing about which Samuel could earnestly complain. His time, he knew, was passed in almost obnoxiously pleasurable ways.
"I considered contracting for a hot minute," he admitted. "I don't think it's for me. It's just replacing military hierarchy with a bureaucratic one, but at least the military one is usually earned." He shook his head, a clipped, guttural sound of disdain passing like a growl from his lips. But he put all that aside quickly enough, more interested in this kindred spirit than about what might have been.
"What about you?" he asked. "After one tour, I guess you didn't exactly retire, Captain. What was good enough to lure you out of the life?"