  We have identified two moderately bright, rapidly variable transients in new
and archival X-ray data near the Galactic center. Both objects show strong,
flaring variability on timescales of tens to thousands of seconds, evidence of
N_H variability, and hard spectra.
  XMMU J174445.5-295044 is seen at 2-10 keV fluxes of 3*10^{-11} to <10^{-12}
ergs/cm^2/s, with N_H at or above 5*10^22 cm^{-2}, by XMM, Chandra, and Suzaku.
A likely 2MASS counterpart with K_S=10.2 shows colors indicative of a late-type
star. CXOU J174042.0-280724 is a likely counterpart to the fast hard transient
IGR J17407-2808. Chandra observations find F_X(2-10 keV)~10^{-12}
ergs/cm^{-2}/s, with large N_H variations (from 2*10^22 to >2*10^23 cm^{-2}).
No 2MASS counterpart is visible, to K_S>13. XMMU J174445.5-295044 seems likely
to be a new symbiotic star or symbiotic X-ray binary, while CXOU
J174042.0-280724 is more mysterious, likely an unusual low-mass X-ray binary.
