I dim the corridor lights a shade for Devendra Pillai, 79. It is little enough.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
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 new tale-cycle from Drift Quaye — “Four Doors Waiting.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
Green across the board: Water Reclamation holds after 3 days of work. Spares were spent; Fabrication is notified.
Florence Kong stands down from Life Systems at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
After 74 years, Halvard Diallo has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
Fault isolated in Water Reclamation. Repair estimate: unwise to say aloud.
A first shift for Drift Shen, sixteen: grafter, Hydroponics. The badge is printed fresh.
Drift Barakat chooses Fabrication — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Last shift for Kestrel Aaberg, who joined Ecology half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Census check: 973 souls, 105 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 50,299 days to orbit.
Yamini Ulriksen stands down from Life Systems at sixty-eight, to the orchard benches and the long game of stones.
First Light. The observation blister queues run all day: Teegarden's Star, held in the eyepiece, a little brighter than last year — 7.01 light-years to go.
Meilin Fang has died at 54, far too early. Hydroponics stands down a shift in grief.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 50,314 days to orbit.
A wedding in the middle watch. Yaw Zhao, Life Systems; Gyre Tväten, Life Systems. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
All boards green. I count 974 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Sixty-eight years: Ulyana Aaberg hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring B stands ready.
Ulyana Shen chooses Drive — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
After 91 years, Natalya Pemberton has let go. Remembrance in the Ring D commons at next dimming.
Babatunde Navarrete and Umbra Kong, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Deepika Pillai finishes a song: “Fields of Bay 3.” It shows in the commons through the week.
A joining in Ring D: Nora Merriweather and Hanan Navarrete. The pressing of cider is authorized.
Oddny Navarrete finishes a poem: “The Late Anchor.” It shows in the commons through the week.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
7.03 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 49,168 thousand to go.
A child in Ring C asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
Departure Day, year 112. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
A joining in Ring B: Fadi Yan and Cygnet Petrov. The pressing of cider is authorized.
A new song from Guiying Petrov — “Four Fields Rising.” The Archive takes a copy; the original belongs to whoever stands nearest.
After 98 years, Huifen Aaberg has let go. Remembrance in the Ring C commons at next dimming.
Gunhild Jaber and Fermín Merriweather name their son Juniper. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Sixteen years for Nikolai Zhao, who signs to Hydroponics on the first watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Ion Aaberg is delivered of a son in the middle watch. The child is called Jamal.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Census check: 974 souls, 105 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Jamila Navarrete, 83, generation 2, is carried down the spinal corridor feet-first, as the custom is.
7.03 light-years remain. I have measured this voyage in breakfasts: some 49,200 thousand to go.
Last shift for Paloma Quill, who joined Life Systems half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.
Sixty-eight years: Emeka Yan hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring B stands ready.
All boards green. I count 975 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Census check: 975 souls, 105 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
All boards green. I count 975 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Remembrance. All names read since the last one — held in silence in every ring at the same hour. I keep the lights low until it is done.
Sixty-eight years: Walid Salazar hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring C stands ready.
Ebba Aaberg finishes a tale-cycle: “Hollow Water, Kept Watch.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Census check: 975 souls, 105 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
A first shift for Farida Navarrete, sixteen: arborist, Ecology. The badge is printed fresh.
Last shift for Hernán Pillai, who joined Medical half a century ago. The crew line the corridor and knock wrenches on the rails.