A forgotten colony planet goes silent for 200 years, then suddenly begins broadcasting a perfect recording of Earth's future destruction. When a salvage crew arrives to investigate, they find the colony intact, empty, and still preparing meals for residents who vanished mid-sentence. At the center of the settlement is an ancient tree-like machine that claims it has been "growing" human timelines, pruning every future where humanity survives too easily.
A forgotten colony planet goes silent for 200 years, then suddenly begins broadcasting a perfect recording of Earth's future destruction. When a salvage crew arrives to investigate, they find the colony intact, empty, and still preparing meals for residents who vanished mid-sentence. At the center of the settlement is an ancient tree-like machine that claims it has been "growing" human timelines, pruning every future where humanity survives too easily.