A birth in Ring B: Jaroslav, boy, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Suyin Tväten chooses Life Systems — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Dolores Aaberg stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Ecology.
Gunhild Jaber and Fermín Merriweather are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Hydroponics turns out.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 8.14 light-years to go.
A new tale-cycle from Florence Thorvaldsen — “Door for the Slow Season.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
A first shift for Polina Pemberton, sixteen: air systems tech, Life Systems. The badge is printed fresh.
A joining in Ring D: Aster Ulriksen and Nicolás Zhao. The pressing of cider is authorized.
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.
Dinesh Peng, sixteen, takes the bay gardener apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
A wedding late in the second watch. Pranav Orellana, Archive & Schools; Rosario Thorvaldsen, Medical. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 7,035th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
A wedding in the middle watch. Edith Merriweather, Archive & Schools; Safiya Peng, Medical. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Yueqin Fang and Kestrel Ouyang name their daughter Kamala. The nursery lamps stay warm.
A new mural from Indira Petrov — “Unlit Ladder, Iron Winter.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
A new poem from Fernanda Petrov — “A slow wheel.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Maintenance sweep of Ring D complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
8.15 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 53,753 thousand to go.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 93, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Leandro Wu, 84, generation 1, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
A daughter, Caelum Aaberg, born in the Ring D infirmary to Divya Aaberg and Howard Aaberg. Mother and child are well.
Too soon, at 19: Ishaan Ulriksen. The commons fills late in the second watch with those who knew him.
Sixteen years for Nadia Navarrete, who signs to Life Systems late in the second watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
A first shift for Oksana Shen, sixteen: counselor, Medical. The badge is printed fresh.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 93, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
A daughter, Meera Shen, born in the Ring B infirmary to Esha Shen and Viggo Mazur. Mother and child are well.
Sixteen years for Jaya Pillai, who signs to Medical on the night watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Ember Navarrete finishes a song: “Anchors of Year 93.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Yelena and Mikhail. The commons sings late.
A second child follows on the night watch: twins for Pearl Tväten. This one is called Jinghua.
A son, Konstantin Tväten, born in the Ring B infirmary to Pearl Tväten and Arthur Ning. Mother and child are well.
Radhika Pillai stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Hydroponics.
A birth in Ring B: Mohan, boy, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Stanley Fossum retires in the middle watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Census check: 935 souls, 190 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Tomasz Zhao stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Life Systems.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 57,367 days to orbit.
Departure Day, year 93. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
All boards green. I count 935 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 6,939th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Fernanda Mazur finishes a quilt: “Seasons of Year 92.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Catalina Pemberton is delivered of a son late in the second watch. The child is called Arjun.
Rajesh Jaber retires at brightening. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Sixty-eight years: Babatunde Jaber hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring D stands ready.
Born at dimming: Stanley Navarrete, generation 4. The ship holds 934 souls tonight.
All boards green. I count 933 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The schools release Tariq Fang to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 57,389 days to orbit.
The schools release Dinesh Zhao to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
A birth in Ring A: Jianguo, boy, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.