Oddny Navarrete died in quarters on the night watch, 78 years old. 876 souls aboard.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Chief of Drive falls to Suyin Thorvaldsen, who accepts with a nod and a full docket.
Sixty-eight years: Gonzalo Quaye hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring C stands ready.
Percy Quaye stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
A wedding on the night watch. Yusheng Shen, Medical; Vega Aaberg, Drive. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Raymond Navarrete chooses Fabrication — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
A first shift for Per Kong, sixteen: entomologist, Ecology. The badge is printed fresh.
A first shift for Rocío Aaberg, sixteen: thermal engineer, Life Systems. The badge is printed fresh.
A birth in Ring C: Pearl, girl, generation 5. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Wenling Ulriksen and Tern Mansour name their daughter Ragnhild. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Einar Fossum died in quarters at dimming, 91 years old. 875 souls aboard.
The Crossing feast: more behind than ahead. The long tables come out; the good preserves come down.
All boards green. I count 876 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 8,816th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Josefina Aaberg chooses Life Systems — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Widad Shen has made a poem called “A slow water.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
Valentina Peng chooses Hydroponics — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Marzena Mansour finishes a tale-cycle: “Furrow for the Distant Water.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 37,501 days to orbit.
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.
After 87 years, Ion Thorvaldsen has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
The manifest shortens by one: Salvador Peng, 104 years. 5 children carry the line on.
“Waters of Year 147,” a quilt by Yusheng Quill, is unveiled at brightening to the particular applause of Fabrication.
Eleanor Northam and Igor Orellana name their daughter Josefina. The nursery lamps stay warm.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Orrery Nwosu retires at dimming. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
After 83 years, Knut Aaberg has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.
All boards green. I count 878 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
All boards green. I count 878 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Born at brightening: Kofi Orellana, generation 6. The ship holds 878 souls tonight.
Hedda Quill takes the hand of Aleksandr Aaberg before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Tunde Nwosu stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Morale index reads 81. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 37,551 days to orbit.
Fatima Aaberg stands down from Life Systems at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Catalina Nwosu stands down from Ecology at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 37,586 days to orbit.
Zaid Shen and Teegarden Fang are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Hydroponics turns out.
Census check: 877 souls, 169 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
The youngest aboard is now Eos Ouyang, minutes old, asleep. 877 souls.
Sixty-eight years: Bruno Fang hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring B stands ready.
A child in Ring A asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
Wallace Nwosu chooses Hydroponics — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
A new play from Lakshmi Merriweather — “Warm Hymn (Year 147).” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 37,604 days to orbit.
The manifest shortens by one: Yusuf Valdivia, 73 years. 1 children carry the line on.
Huda Thorvaldsen retires at dimming. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Chiamaka Pemberton and Jamal Aaberg name their son Altair. The nursery lamps stay warm.