Earth Human
Born: 2094
Birthplace: Lancaster England
Parents: Father, Kermit Nelson; Iron Worker (sometimes)
              Mother, Bridget Nelson; housewife
Siblings: Marly Nelson
              Shannon Nelson
Height: 6' 1"       Weight 187
Sandy brown hair, blue eyes.
A medium build and regular features. He wears his hair short from the long habit of shipboard life. He is always impeccably groomed and dressed, and has a talent for staying that way.
Played By: Roger Moore. Idea for the physical type and style. Nothing more need be said.

       Howard Nelson is the son of an Irish iron worker who was known to work now and again when the mood suited him. Mostly he was willing to live off the dole. To those that would enquire he would say: "If it's good enough for his nibs, it's good enough for me." referring to the Royal Family. His utter lack of ambition was no anchor for Howard's early life, and disgusted him as he grew into his teens. He watched an older brother (Marly) fall to this attitude, and swore it would not be his own fate.
       Howard's mother was the typical smothering hen. She was constantly trying to protect her brood from the rigors (what few existed) of the world, and generally failing. Howard deliberately set out to cut the apron strings and become his own man. At the age of 16 he left home and worked his way to San Francisco, and the headquarters of Earth's Space Service. He was getting away from "home" and as far away as he could manage.
       This estrangement was never healed. His entire family is now long dead, and anything he might have wished to say or do, was never said or done.
Personality: Howard Nelson was raised with the last crumbs of class consciousness that existed in the tattered remnants of the British Empire. While adulthood in general and Starfleet in particular drove most of it out of him, he is still of the firm option that "clothes make the man". He will do his utmost to present the best appearance that he can every time he is seen. While this gives him a reputation for sophistication and savor fair, there is a darker side to this need. Being ill dressed or caught "with his pants down" can disconcert him to the point of affecting his ability to deal with a situation.
       Howard Nelson is a gentleman, in the true old fashion meaning of that word. He is gallant to women, a keeper of his word, and ruthless in pursuit of the wrong doer. He is also reserved and a difficult man to get passed his reserve. Most people never really know him, and Howard prefers it that way. However, when truly moved he is not ashamed to show it.
       Howard Nelson is a forward looking man of the 22nd century, and therefor comes across as a staunch conservative of the 24th. He dislikes being placed in that category, but finds joining the company of the liberal set a bit too liberal for his tastes. He is a man caught out of time, and he knows it.

Career: (all dates are Okuda, and subject to change.)
Education: 2099-2110 Lancaster private schools.
2110: Howard Nelson leaves home, and begins to work his way across the world to San Francisco.
2112: Howard Nelson tests into the United Earth Space Forces Academy. He gains good marks, but by no means the strict student. He gains a deserved reputation as a playboy and hard partier.
2116: Ensign Nelson is assigned to the Solar Forces USS Apache. The Apache takes up a tour of the Solar system on a search and rescue mission. In the process Nelson sees all the stations and settlements in and around Sol, and takes his first trip to Kentaurus.
Officer Evaluation: Good, promotion to Lieutenant JG.
2119: Assigned to the USS Endeavour, a UESPA survey ship. He meets Commander Richard Branard, senior science officer. Both serve on an archeological mission to Andor and later to a lost world. Richard is disappointed that Howard is strictly straight. Friendship develops none the less.
Officer Evaluation: Good Promotions to full Lieutenant and later to Lt Commander.
2128: Howard is reassigned as naval attach to the Five Powers Conference.
2131: The Articles of Federation are signed. Lt. Commander Howard Nelson is present as a naval attache at the signing.
2132: Howard Nelson requests and is granted a transfer to the new Federation Starfleet. His assignment is First officer of the USS Kongo WS-164.
Officer Evaluation: Excellent, promotion to full Commander and a command posting.
2135: Assigned as CO of the new USS Shi'Kahr NCC-25 A scout class ship.
2141: Howard Nelson is Promoted to Captain and assigned to command the USS Ulysses S Grant, a Lenin class starship.
2142: The USS Ulysses S Grant is sent out to check subspace signals coming from El Nanth
2144: Howard and the Grant make contact with the Ane home worlds at El Nanth. (Endless debate has raged over whether this accomplishment deserved to have a contact star awarded to it. Howard Nelson has refrained from taking sides.)
2146: The USS Ulysses S Grant returns to Earth, she is sent out almost at once to reinforce the Romulan front. On the trip out they encounter the wreck of an alien, yet hauntingly Human, ship and it's late passengers. Howard grows intimate with his first officer Ami O'Neil.
2147: Battle of the Boulders. The USS Ulysses S Grant is damaged by a Romulan near miss, she expends her fuel supply reaching close to the speed of light before crew can control her. Captain Nelson orders the crew to hibernation stations in a bid of desperation to survive.
2377: Howard Nelson and the crew of the USS Ulysses S Grant are rescued by the USS Kongo NCC-10455. Howard Marries Ami. Both will retrain to continue service in Starfleet.

Awards: Red Cross Unit citation (three clusters) Palm of the Andor Archeological Expedition. Golden Palm of the Federation Signing. Palm & Star of the Charter Members of Starfleet. Butterfly Award. Bonaventure Deep Space Ribbon (El Nanth Mission. First award to a UFP Starfleet ship) Romulan War Ribbon. Silver Palm.