Amir Barakat does not wake at dimming. 84 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
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.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 58, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Ghassan El-Amin, 84, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Catalina Kowalczyk and Frederick Chatterjee name their son Mira. The nursery lamps stay warm.
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.
Nnamdi Kamau died in quarters late in the second watch, 96 years old. 730 souls aboard.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Alice Pemberton, 80. It is little enough.
“A green field,” a play by Josefina Gallardo, is unveiled on the first watch to the particular applause of Life Systems.
After 95 years, Anli Qiu has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
Sixteen years for Arne Ouyang, who signs to Command in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Census check: 733 souls, 233 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Ekene Oyelaran does not wake at dimming. 86 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
Titilayo Chike has made a play called “What the Garden Returns.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
Agnieszka Quaye is delivered of a son late in the second watch. The child is called Ikenna.
Born in the middle watch: Yueqin Fang, generation 2. The ship holds 733 souls tonight.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Maintenance sweep of Ring B complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
After 90 years, Adnan Yamin has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
A birth in Ring D: Unn, girl, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Ebba Aaberg has made a poem called “Spun Lantern (Year 58).” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
Adnan Haddad has made a poem called “What the Garden Keeps.” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
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.
Opal Merriweather, 76, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
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.
Elsie Diallo and Babatunde Jaber name their daughter Fern. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Departure Day, year 58. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
Oscar Bexley died in quarters late in the second watch, 84 years old. 732 souls aboard.
Maintenance sweep of Ring B complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The youngest aboard is now Nneka Aaberg, minutes old, asleep. 733 souls.
After 84 years, Ingrid Vik has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
Juniper Orellana stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Drive.
Anli Tväten is delivered of a son at dimming. The child is called Haoran.
The youngest aboard is now Oscar Yan, minutes old, asleep. 732 souls.
The manifest shortens by one: Amir Ismail, 77 years. 1 children carry the line on.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Bhaskar Iyer, 94. It is little enough.
A son, Bernard Pemberton, born in the Ring D infirmary to Natalya Pemberton and Rotimi Thorvaldsen. Mother and child are well.
Gantry Zhao stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Drive.
Nils Quaye stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Drive.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The manifest shortens by one: Noemí Orellana, 79 years. The line rests with the ship now.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 70,187 days to orbit.
Kestrel Quill stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Drive.
Remembrance day. The memorial wall is polished by hand, though nothing aboard needs polishing less.
A joining in Ring A: Catalina Thorvaldsen and Mateo Mansour. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Sixteen years for Jiayi Thorvaldsen, who signs to Life Systems at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Huda Barakat does not wake at brightening. 78 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.
Esperanza Orellana, 79, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Yewande Eze, 78. It is little enough.