Multi-Scribble: Why are robots always given the masculine pronoun?

      She couldn't remember when she'd last had a charge -- six, maybe seven cycles past when her systems could function properly -- only that there was none alive left on the ship now, save herself.
      Well, not exactly, she thought, moving silently through shadowed corridors. There's still the cargo, and--
      An explosion racked the hull of the ship, as her slender form ducked into a niche in the wall.
      "Damn," she whispered, under what could have been breath in a more organic form. Dark eyes dimming in concentration, she could feel the servos in her left arm shift and lock, until the hum of a cannon echoed around her. Just in case, she thought once more, brandishing her transformed appendage to allay her own fears. Not that there's much left to lose...
      Dashing back into the corridor, she worked her way along the shadows, trying to remember the route to the escape pods. Somewhere in the back of her mind, an alarm was being raised -- not much longer before stasis lock. Hold on, just for a little longer...
      As the dull pain in her head started to build, her eyes caught sight of an all-too-familiar security door, bolts withdrawn and left slightly ajar. A pale, intermittent glow emanated from within, punctuated by the sound of malfunctioning circuitry. Dark eyes widening on her expressionless face, the survivor found herself slowly drifting toward the cargo hold. If that cargo survived, then perhaps...
      Another explosion rocked the ship, as she bolted for the door. "Guess there's only one way to find out," she said to no one, sliding through the slim opening before sealing herself within with a loud clunk.
      In the distance, a pair of green eyes blazed in the shadows...