Holly Hunter’s Captain Nahla Ake boards the “Star Trek” universe with “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.” Two episodes stream Thursday on Paramount+.

Set in the 32nd century, the far-future time introduced in “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Starfleet Academy” charts the first new class of cadets in over a century as they train to be officers.

Hunter’s Nahla, is the half-alien (half-Lanthanite) captain of the USS Athena and chancellor of Starfleet Academy.

“Stories are always about conflict, a world is in flux,” Hunter said in a virtual press conference. “Often, we have stories about broken worlds and how we are going to evolve from that — because we’re always in a state of change.

“ ‘Starfleet Academy’ is constantly examining that flux. We start with the Federation in a real, rough transition, from The Burn 125 years ago. They’ve got to evolve to this new world. This is the beginning of that story, that conflict.

“What’s so cool is this is the first ‘Star Trek’ iteration focused exclusively on the Academy. That’s just a fresh, new thing for the legacy of the series.

“Then, bring in these fresh new actors into the mix and it’s chaotic, spontaneous and joyful. Relaxed and tragic.”

Hunter, at 67 with four Oscar nominations — one win — two Emmys, a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Berlin’s Silver Bear, remains eternally eager for a challenge.

“When I showed up to Toronto, where we’re shooting, I looked at the sets.  Because the sets alone, from the beginning when I watched it as a kid, were thrilling: The mid-century furniture! How William’s Shatner’s office was outfitted. He’d show up, occasionally he’d take off his jacket, and it was like, ‘Oh. My. God.’ The look of it was so enlivening.

“And I had that same charge when I walked onto these sets. Right off the bat, it was a shot of excitement for me. A little bit like being a kid.
“And even though I’m not a ‘Star Trek’ aficionado, it still makes me feel like a child. That’s one of the reasons why a lot of people watch ‘Star Trek’: It gives you a sense of wonder.

“One of the things that I wanted to bring was being easygoing with change. Children and youth are about really vivid, not subtle, change.  They’re changing all the time — and they don’t care about change.

“As you get older, you start minding change, you want things to be the way that they were.

“And I wanted Nahla the opposite of that. Even though I was 422 years old, I wanted to be youthful.  I wanted to choose youth.”

Gina Yashere as Lura and Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake in “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.” (Photo Brooke Palmer/Paramount+.)