The Iris and Earth

The vast, star-dusted expanse of the solar system stretched out before me, a familiar comfort. I was near Neptune's shimmering, azure orbit, idly watching the distant comets trace their paths.
"Hey Neptune, what are you doing today?" I called out, my voice a soft hum in the void.
Neptune, a vast, beautiful blue sphere, rippled slightly as he responded, "Oh, hi little earthling. I was just wandering around, nothing much."
His usual calm was a balm, but then my gaze drifted towards the distant Kuiper Belt, a vast collection of icy bodies. A flash of reddish-brown caught my eye, a fleeting glimpse of something the size of Mercury, darting behind an asteroid. It was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, but I knew I hadn't imagined it.
"Is something wrong?" Neptune asked, sensing my sudden stillness.
"I just saw someone hiding in the Kuiper Belt," I mused, a frown creasing my brow. "But I don't recall seeing them in the past."
