| FAdm. Malone, Gen. Sharpe & Col. Harper | "History Lessons"

Posted on 241411.24 @ 6:43pm by Fleet Admiral Kerry Malone & General Richard Sharpe & Colonel Patrick Harper

Mission: Non-Plot Log
Location: Highclere Castle, Yorkshire

It wasn't that he didn't like transporters, its just that he enjoyed the finer things in life. Transporters were work related conveniences, and when he wasn't working, and time wasn't such a factor, Kerry preferred the older ways. He guessed that in that regard, he had something in common with his highly irritating marine colleague, Sharpe.

Sharpe had a fascination with ancient technology that bordered on the absurd, yet somehow he'd made it his own. After all, anyone else going into ground combat waving a 400 year old sword over their head like a lunatic would be committed to a special care ward - but Sharpe... he was hailed as an inspirational leader. That thought alone brought a chuckle and a shake of the Fleet Admiral's head.

Kerry's guilty pleasure was that he was being conveyed to the Sharpe residence in the modern equivalent of an automobile. It was styled along the lines of a 2014 Range Rover, in Onyx black, with blacked out windows. Whilst it visually looked exactly the same as this old Earth vehicle, it ran on a Hydrogen cell engine, and was near silent. These vehicles had taken on a fashion trend of their own on Earth lately, and cars from as late as the 1900's were appearing - although using the highly mandated hydrogen engines, and safety equipment.

The car turned off the main road and arrived at a large ornate gate that led to the Highclere estate. This gate had been repaired since the UFP assault last year, and the security was as impressive as previously - although there weren't marine sentries outside this time. The car was waved through, and the gate opened electronically, allowing the driver to proceed up the drive - with Kerry looking out at the estate from the rear seats.

They arrived at the turning circle at the main door, where there was a footman waiting to open the rear door, and allow Kerry to disembark from the vehicle. Everything seemed so prim and proper, as if this were some kind of pantomime. Malone had done his research, and realised that this was a historical preservation site - although the original Highclere had actually been in Berkshire, it had been moved to Yorkshire carefully. Even now, he had no idea how that had been achieved.

"Malone." Sharpe said, by way of a greeting as he came out of the main doorway to greet his guest. "Good of you to come."

"Thank you Sharpe." Malone replied, as he saw attendants taking his travel bags from the car. "Nice house."

"Thank you sir." Sharpe replied, wondering what had possessed Kassi to invite Malone to her wedding. "We've had a guest room made up for you."

"Appreciated, although I think we can loose the formalities." Kerry sighed, realising that Sharpe was still bitter about not being allowed to retire.

"As you wish, Kerry." Sharpe sighed, trying not to be angry at the man. It wasn't really his fault, it was circumstances. If he should be angry at anyone, it should be the new government, who'd imposed this stupid new measure. "Shall we go inside?"

"Yes, lets." Malone replied, trying to get out of the crisp cold air.

They entered the mansion, and Harper was waiting in the main hallway, with a smile on his face that only a groom-to-be could put on.

"Admiral Malone, allow me to present Colonel Patrick Harper, the groom." Sharpe said, although they weren't in uniform, it was the proper way to do things.

"Ah, the former Sergeant Major, yes, I recall when Sharpe insisted on your commission." Kerry said, offering a hand.

Harper, ever the diplomatic one, accepted the hand and smiled back. "Yes sir, I hear you gave special allowance for it."

"Well, it wasn't too difficult. Sharpe made it clear that if he couldn't retire because we needed senior officers, that Starfleet should have no objection to creating a new one from a Non-Com. I have to admit, he did have a certain logic, and Starfleet is doing that now. Many senior non-coms are being offered senior commissions commensurate with their years of service in the fleet." Malone explained.

"Always happy to help Fleet Command." Richard replied, sourly.

"Oh shush Richard, it was a good idea and you know it." Patrick scolded his friend. "We have to replace the numbers."

"Perhaps I should've made you a General." Kerry smirked. "Let this old fossil hide here in his palace."

"Perhaps you should've." Richard snapped.

"Richard!" Patrick snapped back. "Behave."

"Yes mother." Richard scowled and took himself off to the formal sitting room, letting the other two follow apace.

Harper fell into step beside Malone. "You'll have to forgive him sir, he was really looking forward to his retirement. He missed Sarah growing up, you see, and has missed so much of Panda's childhood - all in the name of the service. Since his wife died in the Embassy bombing two years ago, he's all they have, and he's very much aware of that."

"I'm a father myself - not a very good one, I agree, but I do understand." Malone sighed, realising that since his divorce from Asil, he'd not seen their daughter as much as he could have. A point made very clear when Asil had taken her to Trill without consulting him.

"I thought any chance of a family I'd lost years ago." Harper explained. "I've been living vicariously through Richard and his many women. The kids are my god-children, and I spoil them so, so I do."

"And now you're marrying Kassi Denterius. Quite a catch." Malone smiled. "She's half your age, and extremely attractive."

"Aye, I noticed." Patrick eyed the Fleet Admiral.

"Any concerns over her mental and physical health?" Kerry asked. "After what the Cardassians did to her..."

"I don't care about that." Harper replied, a little snappish. "She's got problems, but then who doesn't. It just makes her all the more special. As far as I'm concerned, she's still a goddess from Heaven."

Kerry smiled at that, the man was clearly besotten with Kassi and very much in love. That alone was enough to surmount many an obstacle. They entered the sitting room, and sat on the couches around the roaring fire. Tea was brought in, and Malone helped himself to a cup. "So, Sharpe, tell me, how does someone who's been in the service all his life afford a place like this? I can afford a modest house on the coast, but nothing like this."

Richard looked sideways at Harper, then sighed. "Family money." He explained, and realised this would require more of an explanation.

"fifteen years ago, whilst I was serving on Trilista Colony, I received word that my paternal great uncle had passed away. At the time, I didn't really connect much to it, as I barely had much to do with my parents family. Anyway, a few days later, I receive a strange visitor to my command post, telling me that my late uncle was actually a nobleman in the new British Commonwealth. Now, I'd never heard of the New British Commonwealth, so you can imagine my surprise."

"I've heard of that." Malone looked at Sharpe. "They're in the Qualor Sector. They're a group of colonists from the 2100's, who wanted to reclaim the glory days of the British Empire. They colonised a system, and made good. Remarkable progress, as they control five of the eight planets in the Carzan System. The USS Grant visited them thirty eight years ago."

"Indeed, well, I didn't know that some of my family are from the Commonwealth. Apparently my father's family are leading nobles in the court of King Gustav." Sharpe explained.

"Interesting." Malone replied, sipping his tea.

"Well, on the passing of my uncle, and he having no living heirs, the title, the lands and the estate pass to me - as his sole living relative from the paternal bloodline." Sharpe explained. "Technically, I am Lord Sharpe, Baron of Escapia - a continent on one of Carzan 4's moons. However, since Starfleet doesn't recognise aristocratic titles from other worlds, I've not gone around calling myself Lord Sharpe - and expecting people to call me 'My Lord'."

"Indeed." Malone replied, wondering how well that would've gone down if he'd tried it.

"So, with the family money, I purchased Highclere under trust that I'd maintain the local historical preservation, as well as the agricultural and rural themes of the area." Sharpe explained. "I do have the family mansion and lands on Escapia, but I've only been there a few times. I wanted my girls to grow up on Earth, as semi-normal kids, not spoilt princesses on Escapia, which they would be as 'Ladies'."

"And the King doesn't object to one of his nobles never being there?" Malone asked.

"I pay homage once a year if I can, and the King is very understanding, because I serve in Starfleet, which serves and protects the Federation at large. Whilst the commonwealth might not be Federation members, they are in Federation space, so benefit from Starfleet's protection on a sector level. Locally, they have their own space forces - no where near comparable to Starfleet, but they have some anyway." Richard finished.

"How interesting." Malone smiled, wondering if Richard was pulling his leg.

Richard could see the doubt in the man's face. "I wish I could make all this up, but it is the truth."

"Well, it does explain a few things." Malone agreed. "So, where's the bride?"

"Visiting family. She'll be here in a few days, then we'll have the wedding here. Guests like yourself are already arriving in advance of that." Patrick explained. "Richard was very kind to let us have the wedding here."

"Gullible more like." Sharpe harumphed. "I'm a sucker."

"His daughter Panda told him we'd have the wedding here, and wouldn't take no for an answer." Patrick explained. "I'm afraid that when it comes to his daughters, Sharpe hasn't won a battle."

"Women." Richard narrowed his eyes. "Give me a legion of Praetorian Guard to fight than try to win an argument against one woman."

"I can sympathise." Malone replied. "They truly are the ultimate force in the universe."

"Can't live with them. Can't legally murder them." Sharpe muttered.

"And yet they still want to be with his crabby ass." Patrick sighed.

"One has to wonder at that." Malone agreed.

"Screw the pair of you." Sharpe grumbled as both men laughed at him.

= End Log =

Fleet Admiral Kerry Malone
Commander, Gamma Quadrant

General Richard Sharpe
CO, 3rd MEF

Colonel Patrick Harper
NPC by Frankie