Function probe_remote_stdout 

pub fn probe_remote_stdout(args: &[&str], budget_secs: u64) -> (Probe, String)

probe_remote, keeping what git printed on stdout.

For the callers that need the ANSWER and not only the exit code: land reads a remote tip with ls-remote, and a probe that discards stdout could say “connected” but never which commit. Same environment, same deadline, same separation of exit codes. The output is small by construction (one ref), so it is read after the child ends rather than beside it; a caller asking for a large stream wants a different tool.