Asteroid Mine

A rover captain with job security receives an unusual message from his drone on a remote asteroid:

"So good to see you."

Suddenly, his job seems somewhat less secure.

So does his life.

From the story:

"Although the distinct, familiar whirring noise of his drone Leia had long been silenced in the vacuum of space, everyone on the crew had a saying: "Just Keep 'Em Whirring."

It meant that, as long as the robotic equipment was operational, any screw-up could be overcome with persistence and a healthy dose of panic.

About midnight, Leia stopped in her tracks, and Bruce instantly wished he could hear whether or not she continued to whir."