Hydroponics Bays restored after 2 weeks. Lakshman Ouyang signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
All boards green. I count 882 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Zemin Yan stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
The schools release Suyin Yan to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
A failure in Hydroponics Bays. The duty crew is roused; tools move down the spinal corridor at a jog.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Beatrice and Olaf. The commons sings late.
Born late in the second watch: Vasanti Sharma, generation 4. The ship holds 882 souls tonight.
Mikhail Quaye, sixteen, takes the instrument maker apprenticeship in Archive & Schools.
A new song from Adaeze Thorvaldsen — “Five Anchors Standing.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Sable Ouyang stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
A new instrument from Ignacio Fossum — “The Early Furrow.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
All boards green. I count 881 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
A first shift for Sergei Thorvaldsen, sixteen: teacher, Archive & Schools. The badge is printed fresh.
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.
Born at brightening: Vera Kong, generation 4. The ship holds 881 souls tonight.
Morale index reads 83. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Pallas Diallo, sixteen, takes the seedkeeper apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
A wedding in the middle watch. Ingrid Diallo, Medical; Aleksandr Aaberg, Life Systems. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
A first shift for Bjorn Barakat, sixteen: machinist, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
A son, Tao Navarrete, born in the Ring A infirmary to Unn Navarrete and Ravindra Navarrete. Mother and child are well.
A first shift for Aster Aaberg, sixteen: grafter, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
The youngest aboard is now Yusheng Nwosu, minutes old, asleep. 879 souls.
Frederick Chatterjee has made a play called “Borrowed Garden (Year 84).” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 84, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
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.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Obinna and Ngozi. The commons sings late.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
Olusegun Northam has died at 13, far too early. the ship stands down a shift in grief.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 3,762th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
A first shift for Mira Yan, sixteen: irrigation tech, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
A first shift for Lyra Merriweather, sixteen: seedkeeper, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
“A outward lantern,” a play by Qiaoyun Quaye, is unveiled in the middle watch to the particular applause of Drive.
Ghada Petrov has made a mural called “Hollow Lantern, Turning Door.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
Tessa Diallo takes the hand of Octavio Nwosu before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 60,610 days to orbit.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The youngest aboard is now Raymond Shen, minutes old, asleep. 879 souls.
Chandran Aaberg recovers a corrupted Earth archive block: forty minutes of a rainstorm, recorded through an open window. It plays in the commons on a loop.
The youngest aboard is now Fang Aaberg, minutes old, asleep. 878 souls.
Census check: 877 souls, 261 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Departure Day, year 84. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
A joining in Ring A: Rotimi Diallo and Lucía Sharma. The pressing of cider is authorized.
A child in Ring B asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
The schools release Gonzalo Thorvaldsen to Life Systems. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 60,664 days to orbit.
A joining in Ring B: Dawud Zhao and Cygnet Pemberton. The pressing of cider is authorized.
The youngest aboard is now Teodoro Mansour, minutes old, asleep. 877 souls.
A son, Edmund Pemberton, born in the Ring C infirmary to Chunhua Pemberton and Adnan Shen. Mother and child are well.
A joining in Ring C: Oluwadamilola Diallo and Lucía Quill. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Born at dimming: Cedric Navarrete, generation 3. The ship holds 875 souls tonight.