Comms Array hums again. Shanta Fang is stood a round of orchard cider by the off-shift.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
Comms Array quits at dimming, with a sound the old hands do not like.
The schools release Iris Thorvaldsen to Life Systems. Generation 5 takes up its tools.
Maintenance sweep of Ring D complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
After 93 years, Oddny Thorvaldsen has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.
5.71 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 39,865 thousand to go.
A new mural from Bruno Navarrete — “Quiet Ladder (Year 134).” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
A new poem from Edmund Jaber — “Lanterns of Year 134.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
The youngest aboard is now Sami Yan, minutes old, asleep. 942 souls.
Jiayi Thorvaldsen does not wake in the middle watch. 92 years, most of them given to Life Systems.
Morale index reads 81. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
The manifest shortens by one: Darya Aaberg, 81 years. The line rests with the ship now.
Census check: 943 souls, 145 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Chukwuemeka Ouyang stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Maintenance sweep of Ring D complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 134, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Last shift for Yejide Valdivia, who joined Life Systems half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Dagny Nwosu died in quarters on the first watch, 96 years old. 943 souls aboard.
The manifest shortens by one: Vega Fang, 71 years. The line rests with the ship now.
Nneka Valdivia retires in the middle watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Maintenance sweep of Ring A complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
Year 134 of the voyage begins. The oldest bottle of orchard wine that can be spared is opened. It is always described as "improving."
Drift Barakat has made a mural called “A small hymn.” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
Thurayya Fang does not wake in the middle watch. 86 years, most of them given to Life Systems.
A new quilt from Gantry Valdivia — “Five Threads Rising.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
A son, Ignacio Nwosu, born in the Ring D infirmary to Daisy Nwosu and Nnamdi Thorvaldsen. Mother and child are well.
Meilin Kong died in quarters in the middle watch, 93 years old. 945 souls aboard.
Widad Petrov retires in the middle watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Census check: 946 souls, 144 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Thurayya Salazar stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Percy Quaye is made Chief of Drive, and marks it by standing the ordinary shift anyway.
Last shift for Dominika Navarrete, who joined Drive half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Maintenance sweep of Ring C complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Medical Bay restored after 3 weeks. Femi Orellana signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
Rajesh Singh stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
Arthur Ning retires late in the second watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Noor Thorvaldsen stands down from Archive & Schools at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Yamini Ulriksen, 89. It is little enough.
A new tale-cycle from Paloma Quill — “The Kept Sky.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Thermal Control restored after 3 weeks. Konstantin Valdivia signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
Remembrance. All names read since the last one — held in silence in every ring at the same hour. I keep the lights low until it is done.
A failure in Medical Bay. The duty crew is roused; tools move down the spinal corridor at a jog.
Walid Singh stands down from Fabrication at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Ibrahim Pillai retires on the night watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Born late in the second watch: Qiaoyun Navarrete, generation 5. The ship holds 947 souls tonight.
A failure in Thermal Control. The duty crew is roused; tools move down the spinal corridor at a jog.
The manifest shortens by one: Bogdan Navarrete, 80 years. The line rests with the ship now.