  Fermi J1544-0639/ASASSN-17gs/AT2017egv was identified as a gamma-ray/optical
transient on May 15, 2017. Subsequent multiwavelength observations suggest that
this source may belong to the new class of radio-weak BL Lacs. We studied the
X-ray spectral properties and short-term variability of Fermi J1544-0639 to
constrain the X-ray continuum emission mechanism of this peculiar source. We
present the analysis of an XMM-Newton observation, 56 ks in length, performed
on February 21, 2018. The source exhibits strong X-ray variability, both in
flux and spectral shape, on timescales of ~10 ks, with a harder-when-brighter
behaviour typical of BL Lacs. The X-ray spectrum is nicely described by a
variable broken power law, with a break energy of around 2.7 keV consistent
with radiative cooling due to Comptonization of broad-line region photons. We
find evidence for a `soft excess', nicely described by a blackbody with a
temperature of ~0.2 keV, consistent with being produced by bulk Comptonization
along the jet.
