Starscape. Images will fade in and out over the starry background to complement NARRATOR's speech.

NARRATOR: Five hundred years ago, Mankind made its first hesitant steps toward space. Brave explorers opened the way for what would come to be known as the New Hijra. New colonies were built across the solar system, and the more daring spread out toward the stars.

Montage of scenes across the background include launching spacecraft, orbital and planetary colonies.

NARRATOR: Mankind changed in many ways. Some subtle, some more obvious. New habitats changed their inhabitants, and the inhabitants often changed themselves with careful genetic manipulation. One of the most common alterations was the Methusaleh Treatment, which greatly extended the average lifespan.

Pan across a lineup of 'alien' humans, ranging from extraordinarily tall and slender to incredibly broad and strong-looking. There is a range of unusual colorations, and many of the 'aliens' should have unusual attributes-- bald, hirsute, unusual ears, etc. Nothing should be far enough from normal that the figures aren't identifiable as human.