A long time ago I had made myself a promise that at least once I would walk the full length of the Golden Gate bridge. With the modern convenience of shuttles and transporters I had somehow managed to avoid the experience despite spending many years in and around San Francisco. With so much in my life about to change, the time finally felt right to tick this particular item off of my bucket list.

Of course, I hadn’t remembered to fit the walk into my itinerary today, of all days, so I was having to maintain a brisk pace. Which made me even more thankful for the refreshing sea breeze. Usually I would have taken a moment to enjoy the views and try to pinpoint exactly where Kirk and his crew had crashed the HMS Bounty back in the 2280s - somewhat of a ritual amongst Starfleet officers who decided to cross the bridge ‘the old fashioned way’.

But there was no time for that this morning, I had an early appointment with Beljo Tweekle, the outgoing curator of the Voyager museum. A combination of factors including growing maintenance requirements due to the continued exposure to sea air had resulted in the decision to move Voyager to a, in my opinion, more appropriate space born location which would prevent any further deterioration of the ship's hull. Upon getting this news Tweekle had announced he was stepping down and taking on a position at the Smithsonian. In his words, he had been present for one of Voyager’s adventures and had no appetite to endanger himself by being there for a second.

While I’ve always disagreed with his approach of making Voyager a display ship, rather than a museum piece, I can’t deny that he had an eye for detail. Many officers had remarked on how disorientating going to visit Voyager could be. The second you were able to see the ship from ground level it was though you were instantly transported back to the early 2370s. Every member of the exhibits staff wore period appropriate uniforms, the maintenance teams even wore those clunky old EV suits! Only the visitors themselves, many of them officers or current cadets in modern day uniforms, broke the illusion.

Any other week the exhibit would have been quiet and peaceful at this time, but not today. As I pass through the entry scanners (a precaution insisted on by Starfleet Command after an incident with a Ferengi called Dromak in the Portelo System) I stride into a bustling hive of activity. My view of Voyager flanked on either side by two tall display screens with a 48 hour countdown.

48 hours to go, and far too much to do I think to myself. But my panic spiral is short lived as Tweekle approaches me with a stack of PADDs.

“I take it you’re here for the final preparations” he says, juggling the pads to free up one of his hands which he then extends towards me.

“Yes, reporting as ordered” I respond, taking his hand and shaking it. “Can I take some of those for you?”.

“Well I’m not carrying them around for my own health” he snaps back. Rumours of his short temper under pressure definitely hadn’t been exaggerated.

As I carefully take the PADDs from him one by one he begins running through their contents and why they’re relevant “This one has the daily timetables year round, including all standard Federation holidays, this is the Voyager guest log, this one has photos of the Voyager crew with various exhibits.

As I take another PADD there is a sharp intake of breath. Using his now freed up arms he takes my shoulders and looks me in the eye. “That one is a list of all of the rotating displays, with an itemised inventory of all of the Voyager relics. There is one marked botanical specimens. Whatever you do, do not unseal those containers without a botanist present and DO NOT transport them. Do you understand?”

Taken aback by the sudden mood change I manage to stammer out an “I uh-yes”

After a short pause I realise that we skipped over the pleasantries when first meeting each other.

“To business then. Should I call you Curator or Professor?”

“Beljo will be fine.” he says smiling, even the act of giving away the PADDs seemed to have taken a huge weight off of his shoulders. Making me wonder what exactly I may have gotten myself into…