“Welcome to our mystery,” their guide's voice announced through the ship.

The triangle windows filled with faces. Passengers peering into the universe while the voice directed their gaze. “Welcome to new life.” The dead planet below sparked and glimmered. “And the first ever successful terraforming.” The planet glowed and the voice rose, triumphant. Ecstatic.

“Welcome to the Mirror on the day of its birth, on its day of Naming: the Mirror— a world reflecting a history it will never know and a future that is all its own.”

Far beneath it all, on the Mirror, something green began to grow.

"Hush, child - don't cry." The woman pulled the blanket back from the face of the baby nestled in her arms. "Just be still..." She gently rocked the baby and looked up to the scintillating auroras in the dark sky above her. "One day, you're going to travel up there - travel though the stars. Would you like that?" She looked back down at the child who had calmed and hiccuped softly. "One day you are going to make a difference, and I'm going to be there to see it." She looked up at the sky again with longing. "Happy birthday, daughter."