Guadalupe Jaber does not wake at brightening. 59 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Suyin Yan, 84, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Kang Valdivia, 85. It is little enough.
A son, Uzoma Aaberg, born in the Ring B infirmary to Baozhen Aaberg and Eos Shen. Mother and child are well.
The youngest aboard is now Sable Mansour, minutes old, asleep. 842 souls.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Halley Nwosu, 78. It is little enough.
Dalia Nwosu chooses Hydroponics — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Guadalupe Thorvaldsen stands down from Life Systems at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Deshi and Josefina. The commons sings late.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 35,448 days to orbit.
Drift Mansour finishes a quilt: “Last Garden, Whole Door.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 35,454 days to orbit.
Departure Day, year 153. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
Yaling Valdivia is delivered of a son on the first watch. The child is called Xenia.
A first shift for Helm Merriweather, sixteen: toolmaker, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 35,469 days to orbit.
Last shift for Halley Quill, who joined Life Systems half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Suyin Quill, 96. It is little enough.
All boards green. I count 842 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The schools release Jaroslav Fang to Ecology. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
Folasade Pemberton does not wake on the night watch. 76 years, most of them given to Drive.
Gonzalo Sharma chooses Life Systems — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Mikhail Kowalczyk retires at dimming. 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.
All boards green. I count 843 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Sixty-eight years: Raymond Fang hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring D stands ready.
4.60 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 29,941 thousand to go.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 1,794th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
I compare today's star field against day one's. The constellations have begun, very slightly, to come apart. Nobody else will look; that is what I am for.
Remembrance day. The memorial wall is polished by hand, though nothing aboard needs polishing less.
Dagny Kowalczyk and Pallas Ning name their daughter Rocío. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Yamini Tväten stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Command.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Qing Petrov, 92, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 1,765th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Mahesh Nwosu chooses Medical — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Sixty-eight years: Vikram Diallo hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
Sarala Aaberg finishes a mural: “A late water.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Keel Navarrete and Ion Ulriksen, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
The youngest aboard is now Fern Fang, minutes old, asleep. 843 souls.
Edith Ouyang chooses Ecology — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Chandran Yan takes the hand of Lumen Fang before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Alice Fang and Stanley Nwosu name their son Tern. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 1,731th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Ada Shen takes the hand of Chengdong Jaber before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Repair complete on Thermal Control after 5 days. I run the test cycle twice, out of respect for history.
Sixty-eight years: Vasanti Sharma hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
Thermal Control goes down. I reroute what can be rerouted and wake who must be woken.
All boards green. I count 841 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
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.