Emeka Valdivia chooses Fabrication — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
The schools release Orrery Thorvaldsen to Archive & Schools. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
Sixteen years for Wanrong Thorvaldsen, who signs to Ecology on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Sixty-eight years: Johanna Pillai hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
Quill Diallo chooses Life Systems — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Naresh Petrov, 88. It is little enough.
Sixteen years for Birgitta Nwosu, who signs to Archive & Schools late in the second watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 33,374 days to orbit.
Gonzalo Sharma has made a quilt called “A slow corridor.” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
Morale index reads 72. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Yasmin Ouyang and Zemin Thorvaldsen name their son Wenbo. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Babatunde Navarrete stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
A first shift for Zaid Valdivia, sixteen: bay gardener, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
A birth in Ring C: Efua, girl, generation 6. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Lubna Fang finishes a instrument: “A sunless wheel.” It shows in the commons through the week.
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.
Ragnar Barakat retires at dimming. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Altair Shen died in quarters in the middle watch, 88 years old. 815 souls aboard.
Last shift for Hanan Navarrete, who joined Fabrication half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
The youngest aboard is now Jinghua Tväten, minutes old, asleep. 816 souls.
Zahra Quill takes the hand of Viggo Thorvaldsen before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
All boards green. I count 815 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Last shift for Sarala Quill, who joined Drive half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Comms Array hums again. Rell Jaber is stood a round of orchard cider by the off-shift.
Drift Mansour is delivered of a daughter late in the second watch. The child is called Lucía.
After 90 years, Bjorn Barakat has let go. Remembrance in the Ring D commons at next dimming.
Comms Array goes down. I reroute what can be rerouted and wake who must be woken.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Tarun and Edith. The commons sings late.
Mira Thorvaldsen died in quarters on the first watch, 90 years old. 815 souls aboard.
Sixteen years for Node Ning, who signs to Command late in the second watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Percy Quaye died in quarters in the middle watch, 78 years old. 816 souls aboard.
Leticia Tväten, 88, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Zemin Singh died in quarters at brightening, 83 years old. 818 souls aboard.
The Crossing. Every year it is observed, and every year someone stands to say the second half is the harder, and is booed warmly.
Verne Orellana, 94, generation 3, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Last shift for Adaeze Nwosu, who joined Ecology half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
A new mural from Kehinde Ouyang — “Watchs of Year 158.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Last shift for Widad Peng, who joined Hydroponics half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Ngozi Ouyang died in quarters at brightening, 94 years old. 820 souls aboard.
A first shift for Alice Thorvaldsen, sixteen: bay gardener, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
Sixty-eight years: Svetlana Fang hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring C stands ready.
The youngest aboard is now Umbra Fang, minutes old, asleep. 821 souls.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 3,832th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
4.27 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 27,455 thousand to go.
Last shift for Polina Quill, who joined Ecology half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Guadalupe Thorvaldsen died in quarters at brightening, 73 years old. 820 souls aboard.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 158, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Funmilayo Valdivia and Sundiata Diallo name their daughter Cygnet. The nursery lamps stay warm.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Ion Barakat, 83. It is little enough.