The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Chunhua Guo, 94, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
All boards green. I count 746 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Born at dimming: Suyin Quill, generation 2. The ship holds 746 souls tonight.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 56, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
After 95 years, Winifred Vance has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Walid Kanaan, 78. It is little enough.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Dagny Paulsen, 87. It is little enough.
The youngest aboard is now Umbra Aaberg, minutes old, asleep. 748 souls.
A birth in Ring D: Milena, girl, generation 2. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
The manifest shortens by one: Kayode Diallo, 89 years. The line rests with the ship now.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 56, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Meilin Kong chooses Fabrication — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 56, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
A second child follows on the night watch: twins for Galina Petrov. This one is called Winifred.
The youngest aboard is now Fernanda Petrov, minutes old, asleep. 747 souls.
10.32 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 52,622 thousand to go.
A child in Ring B asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
Maja Fang and Clifford Barrientos name their son Howard. The nursery lamps stay warm.
After 83 years, Zemin Wan has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
The schools release Halley Navarrete to Fabrication. Generation 2 takes up its tools.
All boards green. I count 745 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 70,663 days to orbit.
Vega Nwosu is delivered of a daughter at brightening. The child is called Keel.
Water Reclamation restored after 33 long days. Tao Ogunleye signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
The youngest aboard is now Chunhua Pemberton, minutes old, asleep. 744 souls.
The question is put to the wider circle: Water discipline. The ship asks; Earth answers, in its own long time.
The youngest aboard is now Simisola Valdivia, minutes old, asleep. 743 souls.
A first shift for Dmitri Merriweather, sixteen: seedkeeper, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
Adaeze Sowande, 95, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Ananya Yan and Dag Nordahl name their son Lars. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Uday Trivedi, 97, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
The manifest shortens by one: Deshi Zhu, 93 years. The line rests with the ship now.
All boards green. I count 744 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
A daughter, Ruth Tväten, born in the Ring D infirmary to Anli Tväten and Jaroslav Ahlgren. Mother and child are well.
The schools release Oluwadamilola Quill to Hydroponics. Generation 2 takes up its tools.
Census check: 743 souls, 219 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Water Reclamation faults at brightening. Life Systems takes the call.
Bhavana Nwosu's crew brings Hydroponics Bays back after 4 weeks.
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 Chinedu Thorvaldsen, minutes old, asleep. 743 souls.
Winifred Quaye and Pallas Navarrete name their daughter Gayatri. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Hydroponics Bays faults on the first watch. Hydroponics takes the call.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
All boards green. I count 741 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
10.34 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 52,424 thousand to go.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 10.34 light-years to go.
Deepika Reddy, 88, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.