At times, Starfleet’s design aesthetic had a tendency to lean towards antiseptic and stately.  The brightly lit walkways of Starbase Bravo’s promenades represented this austerity in their minimalist lines.  Metallic surfaces everywhere served as a reminder that the starbase was artificial, a construct.

On this day, that uniformity of the promenade was shattered by scientific exhibits and art installations blooming out of nearly every storefront.  Visual representations of exploration lined each bulkhead and additional kiosks had been installed down the middle of the aisle to allow even more platforms for inventors, researchers and artists to share their creations.

Visitors and residents alike crowded this promenade, like all the others; it looked like the visitors represented nearly every world across the Federation.  Some were strolling the wide walkway, others were stopping to stare at spinning whirligigs that caught their eyes, and more still were stepping into large exhibition-sized rooms to discover what wonders were awaiting them inside.  Captain Holmgren couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Starbase Bravo’s promenade filled with such palpable vitality and wonderment.  

Holmgren could hardly decide where to look first.  A flickering caught his eye, so he looked up.

This promenade was several decks high and the open space between the walkways was filled by the holographic wireframe of a fantastical starship.  The layout of the starship roughly retained the nacelles and chevron section of Starfleet design, but the arrangement was unlike any existing starship Holmgren had ever seen.  Like a banner across the underside of the starship were the words: STARFLEET EXPLORATION COLLOQUIUM — 25TH CENTURY!

Walking the promenade by his side, Holmgren caught his daughter, Grace, looking up too.  He asked her, “Think you’ll ever fly one of those?  They probably won’t even begin construction on that class of starship until you’re old enough to get your pilot’s licence.”

When he looked to her for her response, he noticed Grace wasn’t looking up at the starship.

She was looking up at him.

“Where’s your exhibit?” Grace emphatically asked.  “That’s the one I want to see.”

Holmgren winced, and he cleared his throat, while he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Ah well, you know my research has always been more in the realm of archaeology,” Holmgren said sheepishly.  “The Starfleet Bureau of Information selected the preservation and innovation of exploration as their theme for this colloquium.  All of these exhibits are about futurism.  …I’m more comfortable in the past most days.”

Grace retorted, “But it’s ‘mportant.  You said it was important.”

“I guess you could say I’m between ambitions right now,” Holmgren said.  “But maybe we’ll find yours?”