A wedding at dimming. Huifen Shen, Life Systems; Yash Shen, Medical. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
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 question is put to the wider circle: The returned signal. The ship asks; Earth answers, in its own long time.
The schools release Yamini Tväten to Fabrication. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
All boards green. I count 855 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The schools release Dalia Mansour to Hydroponics. Generation 6 takes up its tools.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Peng Quaye stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
A joining in Ring C: Cygnet Valdivia and Radomir Valdivia. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Census check: 855 souls, 215 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
A first shift for Silvia Petrov, sixteen: seedkeeper, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Farida Navarrete, 85. It is little enough.
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.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 2.90 light-years to go.
A wedding on the first watch. Edith Quill, Life Systems; Deneb Fang, Command. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Sixteen years for Obinna Nwosu, who signs to Fabrication at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
All boards green. I count 856 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Jinghua Tväten is delivered of a daughter on the first watch. The child is called Gyre.
The youngest aboard is now Kofi Pillai, minutes old, asleep. 855 souls.
Hanan Quill does not wake on the night watch. 82 years, most of them given to Ecology.
Morale index reads 78. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Kayode Jaber chooses Drive — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
All boards green. I count 855 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
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.
Signe Shen is delivered of a son at dimming. The child is called Khalid.
A joining in Ring D: Hanan Sharma and Torsten Shen. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Qing Shen is delivered of a daughter on the night watch. The child is called Aisha.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 25,183 days to orbit.
A son, Bhaskar Sharma, born in the Ring C infirmary to Cora Sharma and Ibrahim Thorvaldsen. Mother and child are well.
Mira Thorvaldsen died in quarters late in the second watch, 75 years old. 852 souls aboard.
Widad Peng died in quarters late in the second watch, 90 years old. 853 souls aboard.
Beatriz Thorvaldsen has made a mural called “The Quiet Door.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
Altair Sharma does not wake at brightening. 90 years, most of them given to Life Systems.
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.
A son, Yaw Petrov, born in the Ring D infirmary to Huifen Petrov and Qiang Nwosu. Mother and child are well.
Rotimi Orellana does not wake at dimming. 86 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 25,238 days to orbit.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 25,240 days to orbit.
Departure Day, year 181. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
Hanan Navarrete does not wake on the night watch. 90 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
Ghassan Tväten stands down from Fabrication at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
A new mural from Juniper Petrov — “Inward Ladder (Year 180).” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
The schools release Liv Shen to Medical. Generation 7 takes up its tools.
Atmosphere Processing restored after 1 weeks. Sergei Quill signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
Eleanor Northam died in quarters at brightening, 70 years old. 856 souls aboard.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 3,029th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
CO₂ trim goes ragged as a processor bank fails. Life Systems is on it before I finish the announcement.
“The Long Signal,” a quilt by Pallas Tväten, is unveiled at brightening to the particular applause of Fabrication.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 25,285 days to orbit.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Viggo Diallo, 87. It is little enough.