BIRTHDAY PROLOGUE
The ExplorerTwenty two years ago, in a universe far too vast to explore in a single lifetime, there lived a brilliant and wonderful explorer.
She had worlds to discover, stars to understand, and an entire universe waiting beyond the horizon.
And so, she began her journey.
The Signal
2019
One day, while travelling through the vastness of the digital universe, the explorer came across another traveller.
Another curious soul, wandering through the same endless space.
Both of them had no way of knowing where this encounter would lead.
But perhaps some journeys begin with nothing more than a small signal sent into the unknown.
First Contact
2019
The signal was received.
And so, the two explorers exchanged their first words.
It was only a conversation.
At least, that’s what it seemed like at the time.
The Journey
2020
And then the journey continued.
From messages, to calls, to spending the night together, to meetings...
A Day Worth Remembering
2021
Among all the days that passed, there was one that deserved to be marked on the map.
The explorer's birthday.
And so, somewhere in the middle of the journey, a small reminder was placed among the stars.
Because even explorers need to remember the important coordinates.
Into The Unknown
2022
The universe remained enormous.
There were still countless things to discover, countless places neither explorer had seen.
And somewhere along the way, what had once been a simple encounter became part of the journey itself.
Another Orbit
2023
Another year had passed.
Another orbit around the sun.
And once again, the same day appeared on the map.
Perhaps by now, this particular explorer had become rather important to the other one.
The Trajectories Intersect
JUN 2026
For a long time, the two explorers had travelled through the same universe while separated by distance.
They had exchanged signals, shared stories, and watched the years go by.
But once again, after years since their last encounter, their trajectories crossed.
For a little while, the distance between their worlds disappeared.
The Present
2026
And then another year came around.
Another orbit.
Another birthday to mark on the map.
By now, the journey had travelled much farther than either explorer could have predicted back in 2019.
And yet, there was still one destination left to discover.
Unknown Coordinates
The explorer had crossed countless stars.
She had travelled through unknown worlds, followed distant signals, and discovered things that once seemed impossibly far away.
But every great explorer eventually reaches a point where the next destination cannot be found on any existing map.
Destination Acquired.