I’m a big fan of this author. Both of her novels (A Song for a New Day and We Are Satellites) are fantastic. Highly recommended. This story was rated the fourth best story of 2024 by Uncanny magazine readers. For me, it was the best of the top five stories selected by readers.
Signs of Life by Sarah Pinsker (2024) — 11,996 words (about 48 minutes for the average reader)