The fever breaks shipwide. The cost is counted plainly: 2 names for the wall. The schools reopen at brightening.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — year 76, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
Teegarden Merriweather dies in isolation care, 3 years. The ward lamps burn through the night watch.
Another week of the fever. Medical rotates exhausted; volunteers take the laundry runs. The rails are wiped twice a watch.
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.
Fernanda Mazur and Tao Jaber, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
Another week of the fever. Medical rotates exhausted; volunteers take the laundry runs. The rails are wiped twice a watch.
A birth in Ring C: Tariq, boy, generation 3. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Sixteen years for Lucía Sharma, who signs to Archive & Schools in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Another week of the fever. Medical rotates exhausted; volunteers take the laundry runs. The rails are wiped twice a watch.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 63,236 days to orbit.
A first shift for Verne Valdivia, sixteen: signals officer, Command. The badge is printed fresh.
The sickness holds its grip. Wards full, schools closed, meals delivered by runner. The ship wears masks and patience.
Born in the middle watch: Dinesh Zhao, generation 3. The ship holds 791 souls tonight.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 76, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Octavio Nwosu chooses Fabrication — or it chooses him; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Radomir Quintana retires on the first watch. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
Another week of the fever. Medical rotates exhausted; volunteers take the laundry runs. The rails are wiped twice a watch.
Another name for the sickness: Cedric Ulriksen, 3. 790 souls remain.
Tatiana Navarrete charts the dust gradient ahead — the star's outer environs, thinning to meet us.
The sickness holds its grip. Wards full, schools closed, meals delivered by runner. The ship wears masks and patience.
A first shift for Orrery Navarrete, sixteen: hullwright, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
The sickness holds its grip. Wards full, schools closed, meals delivered by runner. The ship wears masks and patience.
Chief of Command falls to Arne Ouyang, who accepts with a nod and a full docket.
Sixty-eight years: Khalid Vik hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring D stands ready.
Medical reports a fever moving through the rings — the same story in three infirmaries by dimming. Isolation protocols stand up within the hour.
Sixteen years for Boreal Shen, who signs to Hydroponics on the night watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
Remembrance day. The memorial wall is polished by hand, though nothing aboard needs polishing less.
Xiaohui Ouyang chooses Ecology — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Leandro Wu retires at brightening. The department logs a quiet debt it cannot repay in parts or hours.
A son, Arne Ulriksen, born in the Ring B infirmary to Oluwaseun Ulriksen and Wenbo Fang. Mother and child are well.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
The star ahead brightens by amounts only I can love: another week, another hundred-millionth of a magnitude.
Everett Nwosu and Tara Fang, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
After 96 years, Usman Ghanem has let go. Remembrance in the Ring A commons at next dimming.
Dinesh Merriweather finishes a play: “Five Lanterns Standing.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Nora Salazar finishes a poem: “A long sky.” It shows in the commons through the week.
Born on the night watch: Howard Orellana, generation 3. The ship holds 791 souls tonight.
A wedding at brightening. Amparo Shen, Fabrication; Nils Yan, Archive & Schools. The ship approves in its way: the lights held steady throughout.
Abebi Aaberg, sixteen, takes the seedkeeper apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
A daughter, Deneb Yan, born in the Ring C infirmary to Elin Yan and Gbenga Merriweather. Mother and child are well.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 63,345 days to orbit.
Census check: 789 souls, 299 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
A son, Arc Pillai, born in the Ring C infirmary to Chidinma Pillai and Oluwadamilola Quill. Mother and child are well.
Qing Petrov chooses Hydroponics — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
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.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 63,357 days to orbit.
Quiet shift. I re-run the arrival calculations for the 954th time. They have not changed. I find this restful.
Marzena Thorvaldsen, sixteen, takes the irrigation tech apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
Census check: 788 souls, 300 of them children. The manifest balances to the person, as it must.
Leif Ulanov does not wake on the night watch. 72 years, most of them given to Archive & Schools.