Far removed from the carnage being visited upon the Vulcan system, if only out of ignorance rather than physical distance, Ensign Corwin Adler and the holographic crew of the USS Pulsar were making their approach. Only a few hours ago, the Emergency Engineering Hologram had discovered that whatever had been keeping them hobbled at impulse speeds had finally stopped inhibiting their use of warp drive, prompting the ship to catapult itself to its maximum attainable speed in order to report their mysterious findings.

Corwin had, in the days since their initial discovery of the strange subspace anomaly, grown accustomed to sitting in the center chair on the bridge, even if he wasn’t completely comfortable with it. He’d also grudgingly taken the advice of his Emergency Command Hologram and was clad not in his engineering division uniform that he’d come aboard wearing but that of the maroon, denoting his position as a command officer. Though the two uniforms were constructed to be identical in every way possible, Corwin still found it to be somewhat tight on him.

“We should be entering the Vulcan system in one minute, forty seconds, Captain,” the voice of the ECH called out from the forward station.

“Already?” Adler asked, his astonishment clear in his tone.

“Indeed,” the hologram nodded, “Were I not a hologram with intimate knowledge of the passage of time relative to our current speed, I would likely be just as impressed.”

Ensign Adler actually let the frown appear on his face, “You really don’t need to add that last bit…”

“Perhaps not,” the ECH shrugged, “But it seemed too fitting not to.”

Corwin let out a beleaguered sigh, prompting the hologram to smirk triumphantly before returning his attention to the console he was manning. The promised span of time eclipsed mere seconds after he did, banishing the streaking starlight and replacing it with a view even more alien.

Bright pulses of yellow-orange light dotted the area visible to them from the windows of the bridge. From their distance from the source, it was impossible for Ensign Adler to distinguish what had caused them. What alerted him to something being exceedingly wrong wasn’t the display of lights, but the sudden shifting of the hologram at his console.

“Captain,” he announced, “We have a problem…”

“What’s wrong?” the Ensign tore his eyes off the starfield and returned them to his holographic companion.

“Sensors indicate weapons discharges around the system, both Federation weapons as well as those of polaron design. It would appear we have arrived just in time for a battle of some kind,” the ECH explained.

“Battle?!” Corwin exclaimed, “With who?”

“That, I do not know as of yet…” the hologram admitted, not turning around to address the young man.

“What should we do? Should we try to help them? Can we even do anything?”

“Tactically speaking, we are not helpless…” the ECH said hesitantly, “However we are also not, what I would call, heavily armed. At best, our tactics would be reserved to harassing an enemy vessel with hit and run maneuvers that take advantage of our speed and agility.”

“Then maybe that…” Corwin was about to follow up before the console in front of the hologram chimed with an incoming communication alert.

“We’re being hailed, Captain,” the ECH remarked.

“We are? Put it… uh… put it on screen,” Ens. Adler said amid tugging at his uniform to make sure he looked presentable.

A holographic screen blended into the foreground just in front of the large forward window of the bridge. The image that it displayed was so contrary to his initial expectations that Ensign Adler couldn’t contain the startled squeak as he beheld the reptilian face that was revealed. The creature on the other end of the transmission either didn’t notice or didn’t care, addressing the Ensign directly.

“I am Captain Gar’rath of the USS Century. I have been given temporary command of all Starfleet vessels in the immediate area. You are being ordered to join the defensive efforts in the Vulcan system immediately, Cap… wait… Ensign?” the Gorn stopped in mid-sentence when he realized who he was speaking to.

“Aye sir,” Corwin said in acknowledgement of the order.

“Why are you sitting in the Captain’s chair?” Gar’rath asked, his features contorted in confusion.

“Huh? Oh… um… because I… am… the Captain… sort of…” the Ensign murmured sheepishly.

“If I may, Captain,” the ECH rose and moved to stand alongside the Ensign, “Mister Adler was assigned to the Pulsar immediately following its commission. Unfortunately, through some rather complicated circumstances, Starfleet was unable to assign anyone else to the ship before we were asked to conduct a routine training mission to a communications relay not far from the Vulcan system that we had lost contact with.”

“Where were you dispatched from?” the Gorn asked, addressing the hologram.

“The Alpha Centauri system,” the ECH replied immediately.

“And they were not under attack when you left?”

“Of course not. We would not have left the system had it been under attack,” came a curt follow-up.

“How long ago did you leave?” the Captain pressed on.

“Just under two weeks ago. We encountered a strange subspace anomaly that caused some issues with our warp engines while on route, which caused a considerable delay in our arrival. We had been planning to report our findings to the Starfleet personnel here… but now…”

“Now there are more pressing matters. Is your ship even capable of functioning with… how many crew do you have?” the Gorn paused again, still unsure of what he was dealing with.

“Aside from Ensign Adler? None.”

“Then what are you?” came the expected question.

“I am the Emergency Command Hologram, Captain. Myself and four other holograms represent the support apparatus that has enabled the Pulsar to carry out our mission, such that it is.”

“A boy and some holograms?” came a voice from somewhere behind the Captain on the screen.

Gar’rath turned to address the speaker, “It’s one more ship than we had a few minutes ago. If it can mount some measure of resistance, we’ll use it.” The Gorn returned his attention to the screen, “Ensign, proceed as I’ve already ordered. Do what you can, but do not take any unnecessary risks. Have your… holograms… coordinate your assault with my Chief of Security. Gar’rath out.”

The screen went black before shimmering out of existence, leaving the pair looking up at the battlefield as they now understood it to be.

“Red alert!” Corwin screamed a bit louder than he needed to.

“Yes… I suppose that is the appropriate response to that…” the ECH mused with a frown, “Though your volume leaves a little bit to be desired.”

“Now’s not the time,” Adler snapped with frantic energy, “We need to move, we have to help them!”

“Indeed we do,” the hologram replied with a serious tone, “I’ll get us in the fight. Are you able to man the tactical console?”

“Uh…” Corwin hesitated.

“Forget that then,” the ECH dismissed his own idea, “The ship is capable of an automated response if needs require it. You can simply call out our heading and the Pulsar will do the rest.

“Ok… I can do that,” Adler said, sinking back in his chair.