Last shift for Amina Navarrete, who joined Life Systems half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Cygnet Valdivia chooses Fabrication — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Eos Valdivia, sixteen, takes the counselor apprenticeship in Medical.
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.
Drift Barakat does not wake on the night watch. 74 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
Kestrel Navarrete stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
A second child follows on the night watch: twins for Rocío Kowalczyk. This one is called Kestrel.
Rocío Kowalczyk is delivered of a daughter at brightening. The child is called Fathom.
Drift Mansour has made a instrument called “Season for the Hollow Sky.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
The youngest aboard is now Rell Yan, minutes old, asleep. 843 souls.
A new play from Elin Jaber — “Threads of Year 174.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
A daughter, Lanying Shen, born in the Ring C infirmary to Noemí Shen and Sami Jaber. Mother and child are well.
A first shift for Lyra Navarrete, sixteen: counselor, Medical. The badge is printed fresh.
A wedding in the middle watch. Zemin Fang, Command; Shu Petrov, Archive & Schools. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
A birth in Ring D: Sanjay, boy, generation 6. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Morale index reads 77. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Vikram Barakat and Margaret Valdivia, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
A wedding in the middle watch. Ion Shen, Archive & Schools; Deneb Nwosu, Life Systems. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Sixty-eight years: Yash Aaberg hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring C stands ready.
Ekene Thorvaldsen, sixteen, takes the air systems tech apprenticeship in Life Systems.
Percy Nwosu stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Drive.
Arc Nwosu chooses Archive & Schools — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
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.
All boards green. I count 840 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
3.33 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 23,301 thousand to go.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Tarun Quill died in quarters at dimming, 91 years old. 840 souls aboard.
Mohan Kong does not wake at dimming. 98 years, most of them given to Drive.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Ibrahim and Cora. The commons sings late.
Suyin Thorvaldsen and Quill Quill name their son Wren. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Node Quill, sixteen, takes the mycologist apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 174, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
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.
The youngest aboard is now Irina Valdivia, minutes old, asleep. 841 souls.
Born in the middle watch: Viggo Ulriksen, generation 6. The ship holds 840 souls tonight.
A first shift for Zenith Aaberg, sixteen: air systems tech, Life Systems. The badge is printed fresh.
The schools release Ernest Ulriksen to Medical. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
Zhihao Aaberg does not wake on the night watch. 75 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
A son, Keel Kowalczyk, born in the Ring B infirmary to Yejide Kowalczyk and Rell Quill. Mother and child are well.
The manifest shortens by one: Gantry Quill, 95 years. 1 children carry the line on.
Departure Day, year 174. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 173, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Theodore Shen takes the hand of Deneb Thorvaldsen before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
The manifest shortens by one: Mikhail Merriweather, 107 years. The line rests with the ship now.
Quill Pillai chooses Drive — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Gonzalo Jaber died in quarters on the first watch, 97 years old. 841 souls aboard.
The youngest aboard is now Anand Tväten, minutes old, asleep. 842 souls.
Konstantin Nwosu does not wake at dimming. 92 years, most of them given to Life Systems.