Sixteen years for Ming Thorvaldsen, who signs to Hydroponics at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Lucía Quill stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Life Systems.
A first shift for Tao Thorvaldsen, sixteen: broadcast keeper, Archive & Schools. The badge is printed fresh.
Last shift for Qiaoyun Quaye, who joined Drive half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Qiaoyun Barakat and Bernardo Mansour name their son Ion. The nursery lamps stay warm.
A joining in Ring B: Gopal Ouyang and Solveig Salazar. The pressing of cider is authorized.
“Whole Signal, Kept Field,” a quilt by Lars Thorvaldsen, is unveiled at dimming to the particular applause of Hydroponics.
Yuri Tereshkova does not wake on the night watch. 94 years, most of them given to Fabrication.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Aisha Pillai and Maksim Ning, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Huifen Peng, 94, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
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.
A wedding on the night watch. Viggo Diallo, Fabrication; Sergei Barakat, Command. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
All boards green. I count 772 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
A birth in Ring C: Knut, boy, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Suyin Shen died in quarters on the night watch, 96 years old. 771 souls aboard.
Yelena Valdivia stands down from Hydroponics at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
All boards green. I count 772 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Cygnet Aaberg chooses Drive — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 64,145 days to orbit.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Ernest Grantham, 97. It is little enough.
Ingrid Fang is delivered of a daughter at dimming. The child is called Oluwaseun.
All boards green. I count 772 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
A son, Fern Mazur, born in the Ring B infirmary to Fernanda Mazur and Nils Peng. Mother and child are well.
A new poem from Florence Kong — “Iron Harvest, Long Ladder.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
A birth in Ring B: Polina, girl, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
The schools release Tariq Thorvaldsen to Fabrication. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Khalid Northam chooses Archive & Schools — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
All boards green. I count 770 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Thurayya and Deshi. The commons sings late.
The youngest aboard is now Dinesh Petrov, minutes old, asleep. 770 souls.
Morale index reads 79. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
A daughter, Cygnet Nwosu, born in the Ring C infirmary to Abena Nwosu and Juniper Orellana. Mother and child are well.
Jamila Navarrete finds an unrecorded microbe thriving in the water walls. Harmless, industrious, ours.
Sixteen years for Mira Kowalczyk, who signs to Medical at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Zofia Kowalczyk is delivered of a daughter at dimming. The child is called Noor.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Temitope Mansour and Hassan Pillai name their son Hassan. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Zahra Domínguez stands down from Ecology at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Bjorn Gustavsson, 94, generation 0, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
A first shift for Ikenna Quaye, sixteen: pharmacist, Medical. The badge is printed fresh.
Yash Lal died in quarters at brightening, 93 years old. 767 souls aboard.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 74, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Yueqin Fang, sixteen, takes the grafter apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 64,281 days to orbit.
Unn Navarrete chooses Fabrication — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.