Modupe Nwosu is delivered of a son at brightening. The child is called Ravindra.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Bogdan Quill chooses Fabrication — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Chitra Ouyang and Amina Barakat are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Archive & Schools turns out.
Yaling Valdivia and Oscar Shen name their daughter Beatrice. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Nicolás Sharma finishes a quilt: “Iron Engine (Year 156).” It shows in the commons through the week.
Meridian Jaber, 91, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
After 91 years, Harini Aaberg has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
The manifest shortens by one: Ragnhild Zhao, 81 years. 2 children carry the line on.
The Crossing feast: more behind than ahead. The long tables come out; the good preserves come down.
A first shift for Finn Quill, sixteen: hullwright, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
Howard Tväten chooses Hydroponics — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Yasmin Ouyang and Zemin Thorvaldsen name their daughter Anjali. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 34,212 days to orbit.
Rashid Petrov stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
The manifest shortens by one: Anastasia Fang, 76 years. 2 children carry the line on.
Adaeze Sharma and Qasim Shen name their daughter Deneb. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 34,249 days to orbit.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
A birth in Ring D: Drift, girl, generation 6. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Maja Thorvaldsen died in quarters on the first watch, 78 years old. 817 souls aboard.
Nnamdi Thorvaldsen isolates a repeating radio source in the wake. Natural, almost certainly. The word "almost" keeps the commons busy a month.
Huda Jaber is delivered of a son at dimming. The child is called Nils.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Teegarden Navarrete, 86. It is little enough.
Simisola Valdivia does not wake on the first watch. 91 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.
Sixteen years for Yasmin Petrov, who signs to Archive & Schools at brightening and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Guadalupe Diallo died in quarters in the middle watch, 83 years old. 818 souls aboard.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Knut Aaberg, 55. It is little enough.
After 86 years, Albert Zhao has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
All boards green. I count 821 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The council confirms Xiulan Thorvaldsen as Chief of Archive & Schools at brightening.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Mariam Navarrete, 57. It is little enough.
A birth in Ring D: Sojourn, girl, generation 7. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Morale index reads 73. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Ion Ulriksen is delivered of a daughter at brightening. The child is called Baozhen.
A birth in Ring B: Valentina, girl, generation 7. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Faisal Orellana does not wake at dimming. 88 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
Devendra Kong died in quarters at brightening, 91 years old. 820 souls aboard.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Folasade Singh, 94. It is little enough.
Year 156 of the voyage begins. The oldest bottle of orchard wine that can be spared is opened. It is always described as "improving."
Keel Thorvaldsen is delivered of a daughter late in the second watch. The child is called Caelum.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 2,930th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 155, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Water Reclamation restored after 4 days. Omar Jaber signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
Water Reclamation goes down. I reroute what can be rerouted and wake who must be woken.
Wenling Ulriksen and Tern Mansour name their daughter Funmilayo. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Mikhail Quaye, 87, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 155, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Raymond Navarrete takes the hand of Grigori Nwosu before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
After 71 years, Fadi Yan has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.