“Station,“ a man said, his curly brown hair framing bright blue eyes and dimpled cheeks, “begin recording.”

He stepped forward, a door whooshing out of his way as he carried a platter overburdened and practically overflowing with a heavily frosted, vividly colorful cake. Beyond the door, a crowd filled the mess hall, bright decorations proudly proclaiming “Happy Birthday!” in round lettering against a freshly painted bulkhead.

The crowd parted to let him through, and he set the cake on a table in front of a high chair, occupied by a toddler with deep dimples and curly brown hair. The cake drew everyone’s eyes, the child’s most of all, as the man spoke again. “It has been one year since David here was born. One year since the first ever new arrival to our station.”

He looked around at the friends and family who filled the room, smiles and knowing winks returning his gaze. “And that makes this a very important occasion indeed.” The man pulled out a lighter and, with a small flourish, lit the one candle in the center of the cake before setting it aside. “Station, would you do us the honor of singing Happy Birthday, to mark the occasion?”

A bit of music wafted through the speakers, and everyone in the crowd joined in as the station’s AI began to sing.

“Happy birthday to you!”

A bench clattered as a child ran into it, dodging under the table to avoid being caught, skirting the dangers of being ‘it’ for moments longer. Wrapping paper rapidly vanished into waste disposal, and boxes were divested of their contents faster than was advisable. Laughter could be heard echoing through the corridors, bright decorations decking every hall in the station while the crisp scent of fresh pine needles was pointedly ignored by air scrubbers.

Gentle music filled every room, and faux fireplaces snapped and popped as people crowded towards the delicious smells from the shared dining hall, meats and sauces emptying most of the station far more effectively than any emergency klaxons ever would.

“Happy birthday to you!”

A pair of teenagers looked around warily as they slunk down the halls, before vanishing into a disused room with a suddenly malfunctioning camera. Their parents shared silent smiles, quietly updating the duty roster to accommodate the not so unexpected change in schedule. No remarks were made on disheveled hair or dirty clothes, and the room’s camera returned to full function with no repairs necessary.“Happy birthday dear David!”

Slow music played in a dark room lit only by candlelight, two people at the only table sharing long looks and longer moments as they poured each other wine and shared their meal. The lights dimmed further as they embraced, giggling when they tried and and almost failed to stand up. They hardly managed to support each other for the dozen or so steps it took to reach their bedroom.

“Happy birthday…”

An older couple helped each other out the door of the dining hall, one guiding the other by the hand as they began their long journey back to their own quarters.

“...to you.”

The tinny recording echoed through the dining hall, aged speakers adding squeal and static. Flickering lights illuminated motes of dust floating along the ceaseless currents of air. The old, faded paint on the walls was cracked and peeling, the flecks on the ground mixed in with dust, dirt, and debris. Dry, broken branches reached up from planters, their leaves in piles below.

The lights dimmed and died, dust slowly settling as the station's air stilled.