The deep-space station drifted in silence, orbiting a dying star. The crew had long abandoned it-except for one.

Inside, SSCAPE sat before an ancient console, hands hovering over flickering controls. The last transmission had warned of an anomaly-something beyond human understanding. Now, it was here.

The station trembled. A low, mechanical hum reverberated through the halls, growing into a rhythmic pulse, an inescapable wave of energy. Lights flickered, systems rebooted in an unknown language. Totality had arrived-a force neither alive nor artificial, consuming everything in perfect synchronization.

SSCAPE exhaled, fingers tightening. No escape. No resistance. Just the beat of the inevitable.