...So They Baked a Cake

"...So They Baked a Cake" by Winston K. Marks is a science fiction tale following a cynical columnist who escapes Earth by joining the pioneering crew of the starship "Albert E.," powered by the experimental Larson Drive. Their mission into the far reaches of space becomes a study in isolation and the strange realities of interstellar travel, complicated by the effects of time dilation and being cut off from everything they knew. The crew's journey takes a surprising turn upon discovering a planet bearing signs of habitation and a welcoming message that hints at something unexpected. It is soon revealed that a colony awaits them, one that has made significant technological advancements in space travel, far exceeding human understanding. At story's end the crew finds hope when Captain Hans Larson is reunited with his partner, Tina after so much time, stressing the continuing strength of human relationships in the vastness of space.