Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 4,310th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Census check: 891 souls, 245 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Born at dimming: Leonard Barakat, generation 4. The ship holds 891 souls tonight.
The schools release Naresh Petrov to Archive & Schools. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Dalia Merriweather finishes a poem: “Orchards of Year 85.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Morale index reads 72. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Rotimi Nwosu and Irina Zhao, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Too soon, at 41: Vasanti Merriweather. The commons fills on the night watch with those who knew her.
A wedding late in the second watch. Fuhua Shen, Drive; Efua Jaber, Ecology. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
8.59 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 53,493 thousand to go.
Sixteen years for Iris Jaber, who signs to Fabrication on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Sixteen years for Teegarden Navarrete, who signs to Fabrication at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Dolores Thorvaldsen and Hassan Ashworth name their son Anand. The nursery lamps stay warm.
A first shift for Leticia Tväten, sixteen: toolmaker, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Verne and Lakshmi. The commons sings late.
Hull & Shielding restored after 3 days. Ibrahim Jaber signs the work order and goes to sleep for a full watch.
A shielding section fails outboard of Ring C. The walk to fix it is long and cold.
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 child in Ring D asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
8.60 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 53,486 thousand to go.
Annika Orellana stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Ecology.
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.
Sixteen years for Josefina Aaberg, who signs to Life Systems on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
César Bishara stands down from Life Systems at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
Sixteen years for Eleanor Barakat, who signs to Life Systems on the night watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Yolanda Quill, sixteen, takes the signals officer apprenticeship in Command.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Born late in the second watch: Pearl Sharma, generation 3. The ship holds 890 souls tonight.
Sundiata Ouyang and Gantry Shen are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Hydroponics turns out.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 4,185th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 60,132 days to orbit.
Albert Zhao stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Medical.
Iveta Pillai has made a tale-cycle called “Corridors of Year 85.” Asked what it means, she says it means about nine years of evenings.
A son, Yuri Petrov, born in the Ring B infirmary to Fernanda Petrov and Lars Yan. Mother and child are well.
Kofi Navarrete has made a poem called “Unlit Wheel, Last Winter.” Asked what it means, he says it means about nine years of evenings.
Lucía Quill and Oluwadamilola Diallo name their daughter Gyre. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Sixteen years for Mingyu Thorvaldsen, who signs to Hydroponics on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
A joining in Ring C: Emeka Petrov and Nanna Orellana. The pressing of cider is authorized.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 8.61 light-years to go.
Sixty-eight years: Anli Tväten hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring A stands ready.
Sixty-eight years: Zenith Peng hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring C stands ready.
Sixteen years for Leticia Petrov, who signs to Drive on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Census check: 887 souls, 251 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
“A distant map,” a song by Fermín Shen, is unveiled on the first watch to the particular applause of Archive & Schools.
Jagdish Petrov finishes a play: “Furrows of Bay 3.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Census check: 887 souls, 251 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
A new quilt from Florence Kong — “Garden for the Standing Anchor.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.