Born at dimming: Astrid Fang, generation 4. The ship holds 825 souls tonight.
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 new quilt from Adaeze Thorvaldsen — “Iron Bell, Kept Door.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Qiaoyun Quill has died at 7, far too early. the ship stands down a shift in grief.
8.95 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 51,346 thousand to go.
Sixteen years for Obinna Shen, who signs to Life Systems late in the second watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
A new poem from Mira Kowalczyk — “Warm Root, Small Anchor.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Morale index reads 79. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
The council confirms Hedda Tväten as Chief of Ecology on the first watch.
Jaroslav Ahlgren retires late in the second watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Fuhua Shen chooses Drive — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Chitra Shen and Wenbo Nwosu are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Command turns out.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 2,049th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
A second child follows on the night watch: twins for Gayatri Quaye. This one is called Gonzalo.
A son, Percy Quaye, born in the Ring C infirmary to Gayatri Quaye and Zikora Shen. Mother and child are well.
Morale index reads 79. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 62,276 days to orbit.
Uma Sharma, sixteen, takes the hullwright apprenticeship in Fabrication.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Sixteen years for Ibrahim Jaber, who signs to Fabrication at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Keel Nwosu and Jianguo Aaberg name their son Rell. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Yaling Ulriksen stands down from Archive & Schools at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Vasanti Nwosu and Rotimi Aaberg name their daughter Kavita. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Nicolás Navarrete stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Medical.
Sable Aaberg stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Life Systems.
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.
The youngest aboard is now Orrery Nwosu, minutes old, asleep. 821 souls.
A joining in Ring B: Mahesh Nwosu and Ximena Thorvaldsen. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Gilbert Ning, sixteen, takes the thermal engineer apprenticeship in Life Systems.
I dim the corridor lights a shade for Arthur Ellery, 105. It is little enough.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 8.97 light-years to go.
Omar Northam takes the hand of Yaw Jaber before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 1,944th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
A birth in Ring A: Tunde, boy, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Born late in the second watch: Fatima Aaberg, generation 4. The ship holds 820 souls tonight.
A daughter, Catalina Nwosu, born in the Ring A infirmary to Abena Nwosu and Juniper Orellana. Mother and child are well.
All boards green. I count 818 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 62,391 days to orbit.
Temitope Uche does not wake on the night watch. 98 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.
The youngest aboard is now Albert Sharma, minutes old, asleep. 819 souls.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Sixteen years for Olga Tväten, who signs to Hydroponics at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
8.98 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 51,046 thousand to go.
Census check: 818 souls, 295 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Clara Fang and Howard Fang name their son Bruno. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Uzoma Pillai works out a tougher print alloy from recycler feedstock. Fabrication adopts it the same week.
A joining in Ring D: Tao Thorvaldsen and Nneka Aaberg. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 62,422 days to orbit.
Dalia Aaberg, sixteen, takes the navigator apprenticeship in Command.