First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 11.52 light-years to go.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
11.52 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 72,745 thousand to go.
Census check: 932 souls, 79 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
A first shift for Howard Orellana, sixteen: shield tech, Drive. The badge is printed fresh.
Ximena Orellana finishes a tale-cycle: “Four Wheels Turning.” It shows in the commons through the week.
11.52 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 72,769 thousand to go.
Adnan Maalouf stands down from Hydroponics at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 36, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
The schools release Natalya Pemberton to Drive. Generation 1 takes up its tools.
Lakshmi Pillai is delivered of a son at brightening. The child is called Kayode.
After 64 years, Leandro Ocampo has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
Bhavana Raghunathan stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Temitope Uche finishes a play: “Anchors of the spinal corridor.” It shows in the commons through the week.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Harish Mehta, 80. It is little enough.
The question is put to the wider circle: Water discipline. The ship asks; Earth answers, in its own long time.
Morale index reads 68. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Yusheng Liang stands down from Medical at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Nikolai Morozov does not wake in the middle watch. 75 years, most of them given to Command.
The manifest shortens by one: Mahmoud Aswad, 68 years. The line rests with the ship now.
Sixty-eight years: June Gresham hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring D stands ready.
Lev Dragunov, 67, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Nabil Yacoub retires in the middle watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Rajesh Bhatt retires on the first watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Adewale Olawale, 56. It is little enough.
Hanan Maalouf finishes a song: “Signals of Year 36.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Khalid Farouk stands down from Drive at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Jianguo Wan died in quarters at dimming, 82 years old. 937 souls aboard.
Elsie Navarrete is delivered of a son at dimming. The child is called Ibrahim.
Rania Fakhoury does not wake at brightening. 62 years, most of them given to Ecology.
A new instrument from Mahmoud Aswad — “Engines of Year 36.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
All boards green. I count 938 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Sixty-eight years: Knut Ahlgren hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Census check: 938 souls, 79 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
The schools release Rocío Ning to Life Systems. Generation 1 takes up its tools.
Maintenance sweep of Ring D complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
All boards green. I count 938 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Departure Day, year 36. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
Marzena Zielinski died in quarters at dimming, 84 years old. 938 souls aboard.
Last shift for Dalia El-Amin, who joined Fabrication half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 78,179 days to orbit.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 78,183 days to orbit.
Sixteen years for Jaroslav Peng, who signs to Fabrication on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Ximena Aguirre is confirmed Captain late in the second watch, and asks, first of all, for the harvest figures.
Sixty-eight years: Xiaohui Deng hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
Sixty-eight years: Mahmoud Aswad hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
Green across the board: Comms Array holds after 4 weeks of work. Spares were spent; Fabrication is notified.
Thermal Control hums again. Xingyu Chen is stood a round of orchard cider by the off-shift.
Funmilayo Singh and Enlai Pemberton name their daughter Harriet. The nursery lamps stay warm.