When I was younger, I had played these stupid little horror games on one of my father's ancient devices. I remember this one room in the game— a small workshop with shelves filled with tools and horrifying animatronic body parts. It was almost pitch black except for one dim lightbulb, and it had the atmosphere of a torture chamber. for both me and the robot I had to repair. It was quite terrifying for a child, but I mocked the idea as I grew older.

Then I was locked in the Tinker Room, and I wasn't laughing then.

My childhood fear always lurks in the back of my mind every time I remember that hellhole. It was buried beneath the camp like the bunker, but no bigger than a prisoner cell. There were trays with familiar tools organized with precision scattered around, and old parts from dismantled droids were put on shelves or organized in drawers. There was even a droid head, staring down at me with blank sockets. Yet most horrifying of all was the lone chair-like contraption at the center of the room, the only light pouring over it.

I had struggled against my captors at the sight of it, but I was still damaged from the confrontation with the collaborator droids and feared wrecking my 'body' any further. Once I had been pinned to the chair, my retaliation was rewarded with restraints clamped around my wrists and ankles.

I remember shouting at the guards, pleading for them to tell me what was going to happen. The only response I was given was, "The Doctor will be in to see you shortly."

The slam of the door echoed like a gunshot through the small room, leaving me trapped in the workshop of my nightmares. I dont know how long I eat there, releasing sharp gasps out despite having no lungs.

I practically lived in a workshop at home, but never had I set eyes on one so twisted. Whenever I worked on a droid, they were always docile and obedient. Very rarely did I meet one that resisted treatment, but the use of physical restraints never even crossed my mind. There was always a method to cease the madness without the use of force.

It must had been then that I realized that a synthetic life wasn't as straightforward as I had been led to believe.

I don't know how long I sat there, forcing myself to take deep rhythmic breaths in order to calm my thoughts and fears. It was almost a relief when the door finally opened and a batty looking woman in an oily uniform came tottering in.

"Well, well, what do we have today?" The woman questioned in a shrill cackle, adjusting her huge thick glasses as she peered over me. "Ah, yes, you've been causing quite a stir, haven't you?"

"What are you doing?" I demanded. I refused to look away from long pointed scissors she was fingering. Yet I had a pretty good idea on what she planned to use them for. "Why am I here?"

The witch of a woman gave what I think was supposed to be a reassuring smile, revealing her yellowing teeth. "No need for the long face, dear. We'll just be preforming a diagnostic for now— gotta figure out how that brain of yours went from one body to the next."

Yet I wasn't convinced. "If you believe me, then why are you treating me like I'm the one who did something wrong? That droid is the one who has my body, you should be looking for him!"

"Now, now," she tutted, her tone shifting to something much darker and threatening. "No need to shout. We have to take some precautions just in case. LEX droids are such... fickle things."

I flinched away as the 'Doctor' took what I recognized as a probing crown from one the trays and attempted to place it over my head. I didn't get very far and the prob immediately lit up as it began scanning my positronic brain. I could hear it buzzing and pulsating, small lights flickering rhythmically in front of my sight.

"Hmm, something's indeed off," I remember the witch of a woman muttering. "Different thought process, low coding levels..."

There was a short pause before she stated with a hint of excitement, "Incredible! These readings are more consistent with a droid in sleep mode, yet senses are at all time high. Even the body is still take commands as if it were awake. If what they say is truth... this could change everything."

The prob was yanked off my head within a moment and I was startled by the expression on the Doctor's face. It was similar to that of a cat's as it stared longingly at a goldfish in a cramped bowl.

"Now, my dear, I might need to do a bit more... digging, before I can make a full report. Probs can only tell so much. What we are looking for is a consciousness, and I can't find that from a quick diagnostic."

"Digging?" I echoed back, my gaze immediately landing on the scissors she had continued to rub her thumb against.

"I promise it won't hurt a bit. Just a quick snip here and there— it's just like a brain surgery. There will be no risks to your consciousness what's so ever!

I lost my voice, completely in disbelief. The woman was off her rocker— or her morals were more skewed than originally thought. Finally I cracked, "It sounds like you're saying you're going to remove the brain. No engineers are allowed to perform that kind of operation on a droid without decades of training. You can't just take it out without risking serious repercussions to the droid body! What if I don't get my old body back? I still may need this one!"

She paused as if thinking. Whether she was genuinely mental or purely sadistic I still don't know, but it doesn't matter now. It didn't matter than either.

"I'm sorry, my dear," she finally answered with a sigh, almost sounding regretful. "But a procedure like switching two consciouses between bodies requires knowledge. I can't gain the knowledge to switch you back without taking a few risks. I'll even turn the droid body to sleep mode so you won't notice a thing."

I probably would've had a panic attack if I had the organs. The thief's warnings came back to me immediately.

I don't know what will happen to your consciousness in the event of deactivation or dismantlement of the body.

"No!" I plead, pushing myself further into the chair to avoid the witch's gnarled hand. "You can't it off— you can't go through with this! It could kill me! Please, I'm begging you!"

"There's no need to be difficult, I'm quite capable of performing this myself! It will all go just swimmingly."

I thought I was going to die there. Quick and painless, gone with the flip of a switch. There was nothing I could do to fight her off and she seemed confident in her abilities. Unfortunately I didn't have the same faith.

I had squeezed my eyes shut just as she was about to press down on the sleep triggers in my shoulder. It was like my entire life flashed before my eyes— the good, the bad, and the regrets. Worse of all was the gut wrenching feeling that my parents would never know I had died in a workshop of nightmares buried in the slums. At least it would be all over faster than a blink.

But it never happened. Instead the door of the Tinker Room was pushed open and a cloaked figure strode in with purpose. The Doctor had no time to react as the figure raised a small phaser from under the cloak and shot her right in the back. She had merely let slip a gasp of surprise before collapsing— to my disgust —right on top of me.

I didn't say a word. I could only stare at the figure who had barged in, who had just lowered their weapon. My savior's face was concealed by a gas mask, and I quickly learned that their voice was as well.

"Are you damaged?" A distorted, automated voice questioned me as they pushed the crazed woman off me and began undoing all the restraints.

"N...no," I answered hesitantly. "Thank you, you have no idea what you just saved me from."

Yet I noticed that the person was moving their head as if observing the surrounding intently. "I might have an idea. Now answer me this, LEX; what is a weapon that rings of thunder and levels mountains?"

It was such an odd question to be asked in this situation that I was left completely taken aback. Weapon? Thunder? I couldn't fathom why they would give me a riddle like that right after rescuing me from that hag.

Then it hit me.

Look for the Android titled PAX. Give them the code word Mjolnir.

"Is... is it Mjolnir?" I responded, hoping I remembered the code correctly. I couldn't help but fear what they would do if I gave the wrong answer.

But I didn't need to worry as they nodded. "Correct. Come, human. We must not linger. This is the only chance we will have to escape, so I hope you are ready to go."

"Go? Go where? There's no where I can go!" Who even are you? Are you PAX?"

The only answer I received was a phaser shoved into my hands and a snide remark. "What do you think? PAX will suffice, but we do not have time for a long-winded explanation. All you need to know is that the humans here won't protect you or your body. They will do anything to stop the original LEX, but I will use all my power to preserve both of you. Now pick up the phaser and fight if you want to escape."

The masked stranger, PAX, didn't wait for an answer before tearing off down the long dark hallway beyond the door. My mind was nearly numb from shock, yet the only thing that seemed to penetrate it was the truth; I couldn't stay in that camp any longer. Especially not after what I had experienced in the Tinker Room.

Not wanting to be left along in that torture chamber, I quickly tore after my rescuer to freedom.