Johanna Navarrete stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Ecology.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
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 child in Ring B asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
Gilbert Diallo died in quarters late in the second watch, 85 years old. 822 souls aboard.
Ion Yan and Fadi Shen name their daughter Pallas. The nursery lamps stay warm.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 155, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Unn Quill and Theodore Nwosu name their daughter Jiayi. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Census check: 821 souls, 184 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Last shift for Feng Ouyang, who joined Ecology half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
After 94 years, Joaquín Aaberg has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
A son, Feng Tväten, born in the Ring A infirmary to Caelum Tväten and Renshu Jaber. Mother and child are well.
The manifest shortens by one: Vikram Aaberg, 84 years. 1 children carry the line on.
A son, Mira Fang, born in the Ring C infirmary to Lumen Fang and Chandran Yan. Mother and child are well.
After 82 years, Nicolás Zhao has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
Teresa Kowalczyk stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
Helm Petrov isolates a repeating radio source in the wake. Natural, almost certainly. The word "almost" keeps the commons busy a month.
Vikram Tväten stands down from Life Systems at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Ember Navarrete, 88. It is little enough.
Drift Barakat has made a tale-cycle called “Signals of Year 155.” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
Too soon, at 50: Pallas Ulriksen. The commons fills at dimming with those who knew him.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 2,804th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Ikenna Zhao does not wake late in the second watch. 82 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
A child in Ring D asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
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.
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.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The schools release Mira Yan to Hydroponics. Generation 5 takes up its tools.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Yueqin Petrov and Tern Quill name their daughter Radhika. The nursery lamps stay warm.
A first shift for Khalid Navarrete, sixteen: drive engineer, Drive. The badge is printed fresh.
Morale index reads 74. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
The Crossing feast: more behind than ahead. The long tables come out; the good preserves come down.
Sixteen years for Caelum Valdivia, who signs to Drive late in the second watch 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.
Ylva Valdivia and Stanley Navarrete name their daughter Nneka. The nursery lamps stay warm.
A daughter, Sojourn Quill, born in the Ring D infirmary to Hedda Quill and Aleksandr Aaberg. Mother and child are well.
Gayatri Mazur died in quarters at dimming, 63 years old, once water systems tech. 822 souls aboard.
Renshu Jaber and Caelum Tväten, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
All boards green. I count 823 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
A son, Lyra Petrov, born in the Ring B infirmary to Quill Petrov and Yaw Fang. Mother and child are well.
Census check: 822 souls, 182 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 2,723th 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.
Maintenance sweep of Ring B complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
Tara Quill, sixteen, takes the irrigation tech apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
Bassam Fang takes the hand of Caelum Sharma before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Gilbert Ning does not wake at dimming. 91 years, most of them given to Life Systems.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
Aster Quill, sixteen, takes the shield tech apprenticeship in Drive.