First Starman

Xin was more alone than any human had ever been before, although there were some who would argue that he was no longer human at all. This was a unique journey in many ways, the first time humankind had tried to go beyond the solar system and venture to another star system, and to make such a journey possible required a very special man, the First Starman.
[a sci fi short story of approx 7,500 words]