No star's land

A newlywed couple serving as volunteer explorers aboard an isolated starship grow resentful during extended seclusion and decide on a risky shortcut between two bright nearby stars; shortly thereafter the vessel is inexplicably braked to a dead stop despite prior near-light speeds and instruments that show no damage. The narrative alternates between the couple's eroding relationship and their technical attempts to understand and escape a baffling astrophysical phenomenon that renders ordinary propulsion and instruments ineffective, emphasizing human vulnerability and the struggle to diagnose and counter forces far beyond their control.