Sixteen years for Fang Jaber, who signs to Life Systems in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — year 66, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
A new mural from Tao Ogunleye — “Three Signals Waiting.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
After 95 years, Agnieszka Jablonski has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
A son, Torsten Shen, born in the Ring C infirmary to Jiayi Shen and Jaroslav Peng. Mother and child are well.
9.73 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 47,060 thousand to go.
Oddny Thorvaldsen is delivered of a son on the night watch. The child is called Magnus.
Guadalupe Aaberg, sixteen, takes the watch officer apprenticeship in Command.
Svetlana Tereshkova died in quarters on the night watch, 92 years old. 701 souls aboard.
Farida Mansour, 93, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Caelum Sharma, sixteen, takes the pharmacist apprenticeship in Medical.
Sixteen years for Daisy Sharma, who signs to Archive & Schools at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
A first shift for Zbigniew Pemberton, sixteen: reactor tech, Drive. The badge is printed fresh.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 66, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Ebba Aaberg has made a song called “Orchards of Ring A.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
Jinghua Fang does not wake on the first watch. 95 years, most of them given to Hydroponics.
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.
Census check: 704 souls, 289 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
A daughter, Georgia Thorvaldsen, born in the Ring A infirmary to Boreal Thorvaldsen and Drift Thorvaldsen. Mother and child are well.
The manifest shortens by one: Elsie Kingsley, 94 years. The line rests with the ship now.
Arc Jaber chooses Medical — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Born late in the second watch: Theodore Thorvaldsen, generation 3. The ship holds 704 souls tonight.
Esperanza Singh stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 9.75 light-years to go.
A first shift for Lucía Fang, sixteen: recycler, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
The manifest shortens by one: Ifeoma Jelani, 100 years. The line rests with the ship now.
After 90 years, Natalya Fedorenko has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.
A wedding at dimming. Olaf Orellana, Medical; Johanna Pillai, Life Systems. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
After 86 years, Baozhen Fang has let go. Remembrance in the Ring B commons at next dimming.
Oscar Mortlake does not wake on the first watch. 86 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.
The schools release Anton Shen to Archive & Schools. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
A birth in Ring B: Chukwuemeka, boy, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 66, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
A joining in Ring A: Walid Salazar and Sanjay Orellana. The pressing of cider is authorized.
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.
Born on the first watch: Yejide Valdivia, generation 3. The ship holds 706 souls tonight.
Adrián Salazar chooses Drive — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
9.76 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 47,381 thousand to go.
A daughter, Nneka Valdivia, born in the Ring B infirmary to Carmen Valdivia and Caelum Nwosu. Mother and child are well.
Walter Northam does not wake in the middle watch. 97 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.
A wedding on the first watch. Leif Mansour, Hydroponics; Gyre Nwosu, Life Systems. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
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.
After 99 years, Katarzyna Dragunov has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.
Clara Fairburn does not wake late in the second watch. 94 years, most of them given to Drive.
Census check: 707 souls, 289 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Year 66 of the voyage begins. The oldest bottle of orchard wine that can be spared is opened. It is always described as "improving."