Slowly the two of them rolled the unresponsive robot back to the shallow end. With great effort they then hoisted Muthr up onto the ply-steel deck. Her orblike eyes were glossy black without the slightest hint of an amber electric glow.

“There was a little light blinking when I first saw her here,” Rovender said, pointing to a light on Muthr’s braincase. “But it has stopped.”

“She’s got water in her,” Eva said as she ran her fingertips over Muthr’s smooth metallic shell. She stopped at a small plate on the back of the robot’s torso. “One other time, during swimming lessons, moisture got on her power cell. I just need to dry it off and she’ll be fine.” Eva furrowed her brow while she jammed her fingernails at the seam of the closed panel. “Come on!” she grumbled.

“What is the problem?” Rovender watched Eva scrabble at the closed power cell hatch.

“I can’t get this open. It’s stuck!”

“There must be some simple way to—”

“No!” Eva pounded on the hatch. “Open! Come on! Open!” The force of Eva’s fist unlatched the inner lock, and the small hatch opened. Pool water poured out of it.

The power cell was missing.

“What? Where can it be?” Eva sat back, dumbstruck.

“What is the matter? Has her spirit been stolen?” Rovender asked.

“I don’t understand. Why is her power cell missing?” Eva said, staring at Muthr. Discolored scorch marks ran down one side of the curvy robot lying motionless on the deck. All of her mechanical arms were drawn into her body like a dead spider’s.

“Wait!” Eva rummaged through her satchel, and then finally pulled out the power cell that she had found at Besteel’s camp. Eva snapped the dented cell into place and then leaned over to watch the familiar glow return to the robot’s eyes—but they remained black.

“Oh, no! Why isn’t this working?” Eva swallowed down the coil of panic.

Rovender placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know this is not what you want, but you should leave soon, Eva Nine. Besteel will return.”

“Hold on! Maybe that one is just damaged. There are more power cells in the supply room. I’ll be right back!” Eva ran out of the gym, across the hub, and into the supply room. Jumping over the toppled shelves, she scanned the discarded piles of water purification tablets and broken holo-bulbs. Out of breath, Eva asked, “Sanctuary, where are the power cells?”

“Hello, Cadmus zero-one. May I help you find something?” The static-filled voice of the Sanctuary crackled over the intercom.

“Who? Oh!” Eva remembered that the Sanctuary thought she was someone else. “What shelf would the power cells be on for Muthr?”

“T6D9 centurion power cells are in row five, top shelf,” the Sanctuary replied. “However, supplies are exhausted. Acquisition of new cells must be arranged through sibling Sanctuaries.”