Perfect Answer

Two space‑faring prospectors, Jack Bates and Bill Farnet, drift through the eerie void known as Limbo, a thin seam between parallel universes that powers their ship. After a coin toss decides their next destination, they emerge near Deneb, spotting a cluster of worlds—one of them a strikingly Earth‑like planet teeming with cities, bridges, and dams. Their routine of hopping from system to system has become a gamble between profit and curiosity, each landing offering a glimpse of the galaxy’s hidden history.

The pair soon notice a baffling pattern: every habitable world they encounter bears the ruins of a once‑great interstellar empire, yet its inhabitants range from reverent worshippers to hostile savages. This paradox fuels their drive to understand why such advanced cultures have degenerated into primitive or decadent societies. As they prepare to set foot on the promising planet, they wrestle with the question of whether humanity should intervene—or simply observe—from the safety of their ship.