After 92 years, Ibrahim Sarraf has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Nora Jaber takes the hand of Chandran Aaberg before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Sixteen years for Thurayya Fang, who signs to Life Systems in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
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.
Xavier Ibarra does not wake in the middle watch. 90 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
A son, Nicolás Navarrete, born in the Ring B infirmary to Abena Navarrete and Uday Jaber. Mother and child are well.
The youngest aboard is now Sable Aaberg, minutes old, asleep. 693 souls.
The manifest shortens by one: Magnus Sandvik, 82 years. The line rests with the ship now.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
A birth in Ring A: Gilbert, boy, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
“Map for the Early Sky,” a poem by Juniper Orellana, is unveiled at brightening to the particular applause of Drive.
Maintenance sweep of Ring C complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
Maintenance sweep of Ring C complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
“Lanterns of Year 63,” a quilt by Wenbo Ning, is unveiled at dimming to the particular applause of Archive & Schools.
After 95 years, Domingo Delgado has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
Chiamaka Quaye died in quarters at dimming, 97 years old. 693 souls aboard.
Sixteen years for Signe Valdivia, who signs to Life Systems at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Sixteen years for Stanley Valdivia, who signs to Drive on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Marzena Quill, sixteen, takes the water systems tech apprenticeship in Life Systems.
Yusuf Rahman, 90, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
9.93 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 47,416 thousand to go.
Mariam Tväten chooses Fabrication — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Hedda Tväten and Amir Aaberg name their daughter Olga. The nursery lamps stay warm.
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.
Nnamdi Kalu, 88, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Born in the middle watch: Dalia Aaberg, generation 3. The ship holds 695 souls tonight.
Caelum Nwosu takes the hand of Carmen Valdivia before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
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.
A wedding at brightening. Nandini Pillai, Hydroponics; Vernon Aaberg, Ecology. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
The youngest aboard is now Domingo Ashworth, minutes old, asleep. 694 souls.
Rell Barakat is delivered of a son late in the second watch. The child is called Arthur.
Rell Peng and Shanyuan Fang, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Peizhi Zhou does not wake on the night watch. 85 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
Census check: 693 souls, 266 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
A son, Bjorn Nwosu, born in the Ring C infirmary to Bhavana Nwosu and Hernán Thorvaldsen. Mother and child are well.
The schools release Opal Pemberton to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Born on the first watch: Peizhi Jaber, generation 3. The ship holds 692 souls tonight.
Ravindra Ouyang finishes a quilt: “A sunless signal.” It shows in the commons through the week.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Tatiana Babich, 89. It is little enough.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Jianguo Cao, 82. It is little enough.
Departure Day, year 63. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
Nils Peng stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Life Systems.
A joining in Ring B: Viggo Singh and Katarzyna Ashworth. The pressing of cider is authorized.
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.
A birth in Ring B: Umbra, boy, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Morale index reads 69. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Arne Oster, 95, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
The circle has answered. Engineering takes the morning hours. A cohort of children learn to draw the ship in cross-section before they draw a tree.