text: Michael "Maverick" Carter was a force to be reckoned with. A former space marine, he had seen the darkest corners of the universe and survived to tell the tale. He had a plan to push the boundaries of human understanding. Maverick wanted to see the future, and he knew just how to do it. Rumors spoke of a black hole lurking near the edge of the galaxy, a cosmic beast with the power to distort time. Maverick's plan was simple: take a spaceship to the outskirts of the black hole, slowing his time relative to Earth, and see the future unfold before his eyes. Maverick spent months preparing for the journey, retrofitting his ship with state-of-the-art technology to withstand the immense gravitational forces. He named his vessel "The Timebender." As the final preparations were made, Maverick's heart raced in anticipation of the unknown. Finally, the day arrived. Maverick piloted The Timebender through the darkness of space, edging ever closer to the black hole. He could feel the pull of gravity intensifying, but his ship held steady. Time slowed to a crawl as he approached the event horizon. From his vantage point, Maverick observed the Earth spinning faster and faster, seasons changing in the blink of an eye. He watched the world evolve, technology advance, and wars fought and won. He witnessed the rise and fall of nations, and the human race reaching beyond Earth to establish colonies on distant planets. As decades flew by in moments, Maverick felt an unsettling emptiness. The thrill of exploration and adventure was overshadowed by a longing to return home, to be a part of the world he had left behind. He had seen enough. With a heavy heart, he turned The Timebender around and began the arduous journey back to Earth. When he finally arrived, Maverick found Earth unrecognizable. The once lush and vibrant planet had been reduced to a smoldering, lifeless husk. Cities lay in ruins, oceans boiled away, and the sky a permanent, angry red. The Earth he had known was gone, and with it, the entirety of human civilization. Maverick's heart sank as he surveyed the devastation. He had wanted to see the future, but he had never imagined it would be so bleak. He wondered what had caused this cataclysm, what terrible force had brought humanity to its knees. There were no answers, only the silence of a dead world. In the depths of despair, Maverick received a faint transmission from one of the off-world colonies. Humanity had survived, but only in the far reaches of space. Filled with a renewed sense of purpose, he plotted a course for the nearest colony. He would share his knowledge of Earth's fate, and work tirelessly to ensure that the mistakes of the past were never repeated. Maverick's journey had taken him to the edge of time and back, and he had witnessed the tragic end of his beloved home. But as he set off for the stars, he knew that the future was not set in stone. The power to change it was within his grasp, and he would do everything in his power to forge a brighter tomorrow for humanity.