“Then you have to accompany me. The Sanctuary is unsafe, and the surface is unsafe. I am not yet ready for life on the surface alone.” Eva fixed her gaze directly on Muthr and said, “Sanctuary, this is C-P-zero-one. Based on new information, please analyze whether Muthr zero-six should accompany Eva Nine to the nearest settlement.”

“Analyzing. Please wait,” the Sanctuary said.

“C-P-zero-one?” Muthr asked. Eva shushed her.

The Sanctuary announced, “Cadmus zero-one, Multi-Utility Task Help Robot zero-six is relinquished from her Sanctuary duties. She would be best suited accompanying Eva Nine to neighboring HRP underground facility fifty-one.” As the Sanctuary finished speaking, Muthr’s refurbished body descended to the floor and was released from the ceiling hoist that held it. All of the maintenance equipment retracted back into its hidden compartments within the walls.

The old body rolled over to Muthr’s temporary body. As the crablike form sank back into the paneled flooring, the robot’s original body grabbed the head and placed it back onto its torso. Muthr was whole again.

“Yes!” Eva hugged Muthr, holding her tightly. Rovender reentered the room, and she smiled at him. He nodded back to her.

“I—I can leave?” Muthr sounded genuinely shocked.

“You can leave! You’re coming with us!” Eva squealed, squeezing her tighter.

“Thank you, Eva,” Muthr said. “Though, I am still perplexed that there are no records in our exhaustive data library for organisms like these.”

“Weird, right?” Eva looked around at the holograms floating in the room. “I guess there is still much to learn about all of Earth’s inhabitants.”

“Eorthe?” Rovender mispronounced the word. A look of confusion grew on his whiskered face. “Is this a place?”

“Yes. Of course,” Eva replied. “Here. Where we are. This planet is called Earth.”

The lanky creature laughed out loud. “This makes much more sense to me now,” he said.

“What’s so funny?” Eva asked.

Rovender’s smile disappeared. “You are not on this planet you call ‘Earth,’ Eva Nine. You are on a planet named Orbona.”

CHAPTER 17: DOORS

On planet Orbona? What?” Eva exclaimed.

“Orbona?” Muthr repeated. “There is no planet in the Milky Way galaxy by that name. Though there are numerous planets yet to be identified, Mr. Kitt, you must surely be mistaken.”

“Shh! Hold on. Muthr, be quiet for a sec,” Eva said, closing her eyes. Something vague and distant wafted into her thoughts.

“What?” Muthr asked, alarmed. “What is happening, Eva?”

Rovender knelt close. “What is it?”

“I think it’s Otto,” Eva answered, her eyes still shut. “But he’s so far away that I can barely hear him.”

“Concentrate,” Rovender said, his voice soft. “Open yourself to his call.”

“What is Otto?” Muthr asked. “Can you please tell me what is going on here?”

The hunter. You. Home.

Eva opened her eyes wide. “It’s Besteel. He’s here!”

“Sheesa!” Rovender lifted an ear toward the staircase.