Wren Aaberg, sixteen, takes the entomologist apprenticeship in Ecology.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
7.88 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 52,958 thousand to go.
Theodore Thorvaldsen and Polina Pemberton are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Hydroponics turns out.
All boards green. I count 951 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The schools release Daisy Jaber to Archive & Schools. Generation 4 takes up its tools.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Konstantin Nwosu chooses Life Systems — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Morale index reads 80. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Theodore Solheim, 92, generation 1, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
Indira Petrov times an occultation to refine our ephemeris. The course correction is smaller than a held breath.
The schools release Keel Ulriksen to Ecology. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Vega Petrov chooses Life Systems — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
A first shift for Ruolan Nwosu, sixteen: broadcast keeper, Archive & Schools. The badge is printed fresh.
Fabrication Shops hums again. Wei Ulriksen is stood a round of orchard cider by the off-shift.
First Light festival. The children are lifted to the eyepiece one by one to see where they are going.
Cygnet Nwosu and Mariam Petrov name their daughter Xiulan. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Mateo Mansour, 66, generation 2, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
7.90 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 53,118 thousand to go.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 8,511th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
All boards green. I count 952 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Yaling Ulriksen, 85, generation 1, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
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.
All boards green. I count 953 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
The schools release Aster Fang to Drive. Generation 4 takes up its tools.
Fabrication Shops goes down. I reroute what can be rerouted and wake who must be woken.
A wedding at dimming. Vega Quaye, Archive & Schools; Nadia Navarrete, Life Systems. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 55,821 days to orbit.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Sixteen years for Gantry Valdivia, who signs to Hydroponics at dimming and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 97, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Gilbert Diallo and Oksana Shen are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Fabrication turns out.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 55,835 days to orbit.
Gilbert Valdivia, sixteen, takes the instrument maker apprenticeship in Archive & Schools.
Chief of Fabrication falls to Huda Tväten, who accepts with a nod and a full docket.
The manifest shortens by one: Modupe Thorvaldsen, 63 years. 7 children carry the line on.
Stanislav Tväten's crew brings Comms Array back after 6 days.
The schools release Lucía Aaberg to Medical. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
A failure in Comms Array. The duty crew is roused; tools move down the spinal corridor at a jog.
Arc Pillai and Radhika Pillai are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Life Systems turns out.
Wei Ulriksen stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Fabrication.
Morale index reads 84. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
The schools release Harish Petrov to Drive. Generation 4 takes up its tools.
Arne Fang chooses Fabrication — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Solveig Shen stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Command.
Year 97 of the voyage begins. The oldest bottle of orchard wine that can be spared is opened. It is always described as "improving."
Umbra Barakat does not wake at dimming. 92 years, most of them given to Drive.
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.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 96, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
“A whole signal,” a quilt by Fernanda Petrov, is unveiled at brightening to the particular applause of Fabrication.