Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 34,624 days to orbit.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Repair complete on Fabrication Shops after 1 weeks. I run the test cycle twice, out of respect for history.
Fabrication Shops quits at dimming, with a sound the old hands do not like.
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.
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.
Kayode Shen has made a play called “Ladders of Ring A.” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
Nadia Navarrete died in quarters in the middle watch, 78 years old. 823 souls aboard.
Sixteen years for Nils Aaberg, who signs to Drive at brightening and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Morale index reads 72. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
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.
Census check: 824 souls, 185 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Morale index reads 72. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Census check: 824 souls, 185 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
4.47 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 28,604 thousand to go.
Lucía Aaberg, 73, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
The manifest shortens by one: Sundiata Ouyang, 89 years. 1 children carry the line on.
A first shift for Zenith Shen, sixteen: water systems tech, Life Systems. The badge is printed fresh.
4.47 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 28,689 thousand to go.
Huda Thorvaldsen does not wake at dimming. 75 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
Departure Day, year 155. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
A daughter, Gayatri Sharma, born in the Ring D infirmary to Meridian Sharma and Hernán Fang. Mother and child are well.
Morale index reads 71. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Oluwadamilola Diallo died in quarters on the first watch, 92 years old. 826 souls aboard.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Yuri Sharma takes the hand of Modupe Nwosu before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Born at brightening: Alejandro Peng, generation 6. The ship holds 827 souls tonight.
Rosario Thorvaldsen has made a mural called “Last Water, Unlit Harvest.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
The schools release Ion Jaber to Drive. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
Kestrel Kong and Arne Shen, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Yusuf Salazar retires in the middle watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Wallace Nwosu takes the hand of Elin Jaber before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Aster Shen stands down from Hydroponics at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 2,520th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Sixteen years for Ylva Thorvaldsen, who signs to Life Systems in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
A first shift for Quill Quill, sixteen: grafter, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
Remembrance day. The memorial wall is polished by hand, though nothing aboard needs polishing less.
A child in Ring C asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
Quill Thorvaldsen and Xiulan Tväten name their daughter Deneb. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Born at dimming: Guowei Thorvaldsen, generation 6. The ship holds 825 souls tonight.
June Barakat does not wake in the middle watch. 91 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
Walid Singh died in quarters at brightening, 88 years old. 825 souls aboard.
Pearl Tväten does not wake in the middle watch. 84 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
The schools release Caelum Thorvaldsen to Drive. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
Pallas Nwosu does not wake on the first watch. 90 years, most of them given to Drive.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Liang Valdivia, 77. It is little enough.
Hull & Shielding restored within the day. Milena Tväten signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
The compartment is sealed and the name is read: Raisa Orellana, 44. The ship holds 829.
The compartment is sealed and the name is read: Zofia Zhao, 41. The ship holds 829.