Hakim Thorvaldsen stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Drive.
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 first shift for Enlai Thorvaldsen, sixteen: midwife, Medical. The badge is printed fresh.
A joining in Ring A: Gunnar Jaber and Suyin Ouyang. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Sixteen years for Deepika Pillai, who signs to Medical at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Safiya Ouyang, sixteen, takes the hullwright apprenticeship in Fabrication.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Huda Fossum is delivered of a son in the middle watch. The child is called Salvador.
The schools release Torsten Zhao to Hydroponics. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Edmund Jaber, sixteen, takes the hullwright apprenticeship in Fabrication.
A wedding at brightening. Joaquín Aaberg, Archive & Schools; Lubna Fang, Hydroponics. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
All boards green. I count 859 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Kestrel Navarrete takes the hand of Sable Valdivia before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Chitra Shen is delivered of a daughter at brightening. The child is called Ruolan.
A first shift for Ghada Aaberg, sixteen: printer operator, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
Mateo Ashworth chooses Archive & Schools — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Kwame Zhao, sixteen, takes the grafter apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
Albert Nwosu, sixteen, takes the pharmacist apprenticeship in Medical.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Boreal Shen takes the hand of Walid Quaye before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Sixteen years for Nicolás Shen, who signs to Ecology in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Zhenzhen Jaber is delivered of a son on the first watch. The child is called Xingyu.
Torsten Shen chooses Command — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
A wedding at dimming. Folasade Singh, Archive & Schools; Cygnet Aaberg, Drive. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
A first shift for Magnus Thorvaldsen, sixteen: reactor tech, Drive. The badge is printed fresh.
Ravindra Yamin died in quarters at brightening, 81 years old. 857 souls aboard.
Census check: 858 souls, 278 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 3,090th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Ludmila Zhao stands down from Medical at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Too soon, at 50: Fernanda Fossum. The commons fills late in the second watch with those who knew her.
Sixteen years for Georgia Thorvaldsen, who signs to Drive in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
The schools release Theodore Thorvaldsen to Hydroponics. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
The youngest aboard is now Radhika Ouyang, minutes old, asleep. 859 souls.
Gyre Orellana and Anders Shen, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
The council confirms Nils Nwosu as Chief of Life Systems at brightening.
Last shift for Tao Ogunleye, who joined Life Systems half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 3,044th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
A joining in Ring B: Meilin Valdivia and Aster Fossum. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Born in the middle watch: Quill Shen, generation 4. The ship holds 858 souls tonight.
Morale index reads 82. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
“Nine Ladders Waiting,” a quilt by Kofi Navarrete, is unveiled at dimming to the particular applause of Drive.
“Unlit Corridor (Year 82),” a instrument by Gilbert Sharma, is unveiled at dimming to the particular applause of Command.
Born on the first watch: Ekundayo Northam, generation 4. The ship holds 857 souls tonight.
8.80 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 52,468 thousand to go.
A birth in Ring A: Arc, boy, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Haoran Tväten and Elsie Mazur, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Harini Aaberg and Qasim Pemberton, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.