In "Home Sweet Drone" by Mary Jo Rabe, an endearing delivery drone discovers that its greatest purpose isn't simply delivering packages—it's caring for the people who depend on it. But as whispers of a darker future spread through the drone hive mind, one loyal machine must confront what it truly means to protect humanity.

Debbie dropped her luggage on the floor of the little efficiency apartment allocated to her in the Bradbury habitat on Mars and sneezed. The sound bounced back and forth from one wall to another, increasing in annoyance with each bounce. The apartment seemed spotless at first, but when she looked at the furniture, walls, and floors more carefully, she saw that they were covered with a light but uniformly thin layer of pinkish dust, possibly causing the subtle scent of peroxide that tickled...