LX-00: A scary, scary droid... [dredwulf60]

Hello!

Here I come on bended knee to the esteemed fountain of SWAG, because I have a pretty interesting droid character in our Tapestry campaign (http://community.wizards.com/starwarstapestry) that could be a lot of fun for anyone interested in coming up with an original droid design!

LX-00 (Lex) began his life as a relatively-obscure 'shepherd droid', designed to corral any kind of livestock on any world. To accomplish the task, Lex and the rest of his line were equipped with electrical prods, sufficient to deal with the gentlest or most ornery of animals. Somewhere along the way, Lex was stolen and reprogrammed to become an instrument of torture, which the droid has come to enjoy wholeheartedly, even though he is, by all accounts, completely heartless.

I have no clear image of how Lex should look, apart from... scary! In writing him so far, I see that the only details I included are a) he's rusty, b) he has 'some' electrical prods (two? ten?), and c) he has a glowing, orange eye (or several? I didn't commit to a number!). Apart from that, I could see the droid being tall, purely for the intimidation factor. Apart from that, I would LOVE to see any SWAGer's take on Lex, if he catches your fancy! :)

Here's his first appearance in our game (apologies for the length!):

----------------

It was cold down here in the bowels of Mull Station, starboard side. Cold and dark. The area was so infrequently occupied by organics that little effort or expense was afforded to heat or light it. Or clean it, as evidenced by the thick smears of grease decorating the battered, faintly frosty corridor walls.

It was usually quiet here, too. Only 'usually' because, at present, a shriek of mortal agony bounced its way down the dark halls, echoing away like the hopes and dreams of the being from whom the sound had originated. This being was in one of the dim side-rooms, wrists bound by a heavy chain that was itself attached to a ring embedded in the centre of the chamber's ceiling. The screaming being was shirtless, hairless, with pointed ears and sweaty, jet-black skin. This was Inex Jonn.

Next to Inex stood the source of his agony; a tall, rusty droid of forgotten purpose, patiently and methodically jabbing sharp appendages into various areas of its prisoner's body, sparks and arcs of energy erupting forth, eliciting more shrieks. In no hurry to be finished, the automaton took a moment to adjust one of its frightening prods.

"Cursed robot," Inex spat, the saliva not separating from his lips, but instead simply hanging in an ever-lengthening, thick rope. "How have you not killed me, already?"

The droid regarded him with a glowing orange photoreceptor. "No job completion date specified." 

On the verge of madness, Inex had to laugh, the rope of saliva hanging from his lips finally shaking loose and finding its way to the floor. "Business as usual, huh?" he rasped. "Your orders... are to shock me to death. That doesn't... conflict with your base programming?"

The droid appeared unmoved, like it would have shrugged its shoulders, if it were able. "Master Seema Mull lets me shock people." It paused, added, "I like to shock."

Emphasizing the point, the robot jabbed another prod into Inex's chest, creating a searing blue electrical bolt that was as bright as the Sakiyan's scream was chilling. The robot pulled the prod away and, once again in darkness, Inex Jonn fought to remain awake... awake and alive.

"Okay," he sputtered, "okay, you like to shock... I can see that. Tell me... do you have a name?"

"Designation: Ellex-Zerozero."

Inex swallowed, not daring to hope. "Okay, Ellex, okay... let me ask you another question... you say you like to shock... tell me... how many beings have you shocked... this week?"

"One."

Inex peered at the droid in the darkness. "Me?"

"You."

Inex blinked his eyes, fighting unconsciousness. "How about... the last two weeks?"

"One."

"Also me?"

The droid's silence implied an affirmative. Inex bit his lip and said a silent prayer to whichever world's god was good with last chances. "The last month?"

"Two."

Inex laughed, howled even, the sound maniacal in the darkness. "Ellex, if you... don't mind my saying so... that's completely pathetic. Seema Mull isn't 'letting' you shock people. Sounds more like... she's keeping you from shocking people!"

The prod again. Incomprehensible pain. It was do or die now. Instinctively, Inex knew that if he didn't get out of this fast, he'd be dead before the sweat on his chest ran down to his feet.

"What... what if I told you," Inex offered, "that I could take you... where you can shock all the people you want?"

At this, the robot paused, and was silent. Then, "Intriguing offer. Flaw: could kill you, shock all I want."

"Not with that restraining bolt on, you couldn't," Inex replied, hope giving him a few precious drops of energy. "Why, 'Lex, I'll bet you can't even leave this room! And even if you-" at this, Inex broke into a violent coughing fit, but managed to press on. "Even if you could, you'd never make it on your own, without a master. They'd dismantle you... shut you down. You know how it is..."

Lex backed up a little, to view the Sakiyan more fully. "Inex Jonn provides one being to shock per day. Failure to provide: Ellex kills him."

It was a horrible proposition. But in truth, with the pain he'd suffered, the Sakiyan might have agreed to much worse. 

"Agreed," he croaked. 

Lex hammered a switch, dropping Inex Jonn to the floor. With the robot standing between himself and the only exit, Inex busied himself finding a tool with which to remove Lex's restraining bolt...