The bridge of a futuristic starship, designed with a circular seating arrangement. In the center, a large, command chair is surrounded by four other seats, all with ergonomic, cream-colored upholstery. The curved ceiling has a series of geometric panels with ambient lighting. Behind the seats, large control consoles with touch-screen interfaces are mounted on the walls. Two doorways and an elevator are visible on either side of the bridge.

The Most Important 24th Anniversary in the Universe

Happy 24th Anniversary, Independence Fleet! These anniversaries seem to be happening quicker and quicker these days! Continuing a tradition we began a few years ago, we again have a video message from a very special guest:

As some of you are already aware, we recently acquired a prop used on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier during the shuttle crash landing scene:

See it on the right side of the screen next to the stacked barrels? Yes, that’s it!

Turns out, it’s a miniature of a highly prolific movie prop. Dubbed the “most important device in the universe” by some, it’s been used in more than 200 movies and television shows. Ex Astris Scientia notes that this full sized version appears in two Star Trek movies and six episodes, and refers to it as “blinking tubes” here.

This guy even created his own working copy of the thing. This full-size device belonged to Modern Props, which unfortunately closed back in 2020. While we don’t know the fate of Modern Props #195-290-1, we’re happy to hold a piece of history with this mini version. What did we do with it?

We asked each ship to write a post using the object in some way. Here are those submissions in alphabetical order by sim:

We then asked three individuals from independent sims to serve as judges:

And your winners are…

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1st Place:

USS Chuck Norris
for What in the World?
CO: Captain Mira Rodale
2nd Place:

USS Washington
for Brigid’s Gift
CO: Captain Shran dh’Klar
3rd Place:

USS Sunfire
for Ikar’s Folly
CO: Captain Rhenora Kaylen
“Any device that knows that Raktajino is needed is awesome in my opinion. Awesome plot.”

“I liked the casual subtlety that was employed here.”

“The writing style here is very clean with very good grammar, which makes it easy to read. Well done!”
“This post had peak Treknobabble and it was fantastic.”

“Disclosure – I have a fascination with Celtic deities, so I was immediately drawn in anyway. This was fun, and I am curious about what happens next!”

“I absolutely adore the Quantum Physics take.”
“Starfleet and Snow.. Neat.”

“‘Outsmarted by snow’ is definitely a new take on the ‘acts of God’ trope and I am here for it!”

“I found the battle portions to be particularly engaging, especially the dialogue.”

Superlative winners:

Most integral to story
use of the object:

USS Firebird
for The Thing Is Broken
CO: Captain Malcom Llwyedd
Most creative
use of the object:

USS Montana
for Potential Problem
CO: Captain Michael Murphy
Most humorous
use of the object:

USS Wayfarer
for Goes Nowhere, Does Nothing
CO: Captain Akeno Misaki
“I will forevermore wonder what The Thing ™ does! I cared about the characters and the plot!”

“This sim does a great job of rounding out all bases in a post.”

“‘The thing is broken’ is now my new favorite sentence.”
“This sim does a good job of showing before telling.”

“I wanted to know more about the mysterious officers.. Tell me more!”

“The whole ‘Men in Black’ story line is absolutely wonderful!”
“I wasn’t sure what to expect with the cat at first but the post turned out to be a lot of fun.”

“Cats In Space! I could feel how comfortable Barry the GNDN is for Isoroku!”

“I’m pretty sure you’re the only sim in history who would think to use an unknown object as a cat bed and I love it”
Great all around use:

USS Eminence
for Genesis
CO: Captain Alex Shepard
Avant-garde:

USS Liberty
for Shakedown out the window
CO: Captain Kaylia Strenvale
This is Trek:

USS Churchill
for Transfer Arrival
CO: Captain James Stewart
“The cameos were surprisingly well done.”

“A good way to bring in a familiar character. Hi Geordie! OK folks on the Eminence, how do you find the device??”

“The writing, grammar, and punctuation are impeccable!”
“An interesting dilemma, and some equally interesting people in the middle of a time twist!”

“There was a great sense of urgency in the story.”

“From this post, it sounds like the object was incorporated into a larger story, which I find very creative.”
“The sim did a good job of writing the post by the numbers. Right on.”

“I wondered where the device was…”

“I love the detailed descriptions of the scenery.”
Yes, it is a post: USS Albion for A Tale of Two Spragues (and Keys) (CO: Captain Dick Sprague)
“This was one of the funniest things I’ve read, although I may have found it even funnier if some of the context wasn’t lost on me.”

“I liked the differentiation between the real characters and the fake ones.”

Congratulations to everyone, and a special thank you to our judges! All three judges expressed to me how much they enjoyed reading the 10 posts. They were all highly entertaining while showcasing the unique personalities of each sim. I hope the Captains and crews had as much fun writing them!

Happy 24th anniversary, Independence Fleet! Thank you for all you do to make our community what it is!

A rectangular banner featuring Admiral Charles Star, Commander-in-Chief of Independence Fleet. On the left is a black-and-white photo of a man in a red and black Starfleet uniform wearing a hat. The right side displays the name "Admiral Charles Star" in large white text, with "Commander-in-Chief" and "Independence Fleet" below it. The background is black with a purple winged bell logo faintly behind the text. The frame is metallic with a purple accent.
A purple horizontal ribbon with fine dark stripes and three white liberty bell symbols evenly spaced across the center. The ribbon design symbolizes achievement or recognition within the Independence Fleet.

2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

With our 24th year now in the books, it is once again my privilege to formally announce the latest class of the Independence Fleet Hall of Fame. Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor this club offers–reserved for those who have demonstrated exemplary service or extraordinary contributions to the fleet, according to the Hall of Fame Charter (pdf). This is the best of the best!

Without further ado, here is your Hall of Fame Class of 2025…

Inducted by Election:

Commander Natasha Cruix

of the USS Sunfire

A long-time member of the Sunfire during the final days of the fleet’s early era, Natasha Cruix’s superior writing shone through. Boasting six total awards, including two Best Posts, two Funniest Posts, and one Genesis award, she always had just the right touch to move the plot forward in an interesting or humorous way. She also rose through the ranks to become a top-notch Executive Officer.

Commodore Caleb Virgil

of the USS Liberty Belle

A key player during the fleet’s renaissance period, Caleb Virgil commanded the Liberty Belle for 13 months, which landed him one posting title and 2.33 Genesis awards. In addition to being in the top 20 all-time with 994 command posts, he actively highlighted the creative work of his crew, leading to many awards for them. Finally, he answered the call as a Task Force Commander at the end of his career.

Inducted by the Veterans Committee:

None this year.


Congratulations to both of our 2025 inductees! Their actions continue to provide a timeless example for us still role playing today to follow. The inductees will hereby be remembered forever for their extraordinary service to Independence Fleet.

There are now 45 total members of this most exclusive club. Well done!

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2023 Tournament of Simulations Winners Announced

The 2023 Tournament of Simulations (aka ToS) were finally announced yesterday, and continuing our tradition of excellence, IDF took home three more awards! Congratulations to the Captains and crews of the USS Firebird, USS Sunfire, and USS Wayfarer. In fact, the USS Firebird was the #1 sim overall for the entire tournament Well done!

Outstanding Star Trek:

Banner image of the USS Firebird, registry NCC-88298, featuring a detailed Starfleet starship flying through space. The ship is shown from above at an angle, with glowing blue and red elements and a sleek, futuristic design.

Great Star Trek:

It was another performance for the ages from all of you! Look for the 2024 tournament to be announced soon.

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Welcome to Utopia Fleet!

If you visited this website on April 1st earlier this year, that’s how you were greeted! Continuing our April Fools’ Day tradition, we decided to go back to our roots and pretend we were rebranding as old Utopia Fleet, where the historical USS Sunfire, which later launched Independence Fleet, was created. In case you missed it, you can see the archived page at the Internet Archive.

Another special thanks to Ken Gillis for creating the new Utopia Fleet branding. It looks amazing! Maybe we’re on to something…

A rectangular banner featuring Admiral Charles Star, Commander-in-Chief of Independence Fleet. On the left is a black-and-white photo of a man in a red and black Starfleet uniform wearing a hat. The right side displays the name "Admiral Charles Star" in large white text, with "Commander-in-Chief" and "Independence Fleet" below it. The background is black with a purple winged bell logo faintly behind the text. The frame is metallic with a purple accent.
A futuristic campus scene featuring people conversing on a balcony overlooking a lush courtyard with trees, pathways, and landscaped gardens. In the distance, domed buildings and a flag bearing the emblem of the United Federation of Planets are visible near the waterfront. The Golden Gate Bridge spans the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Major Awards 2025

It’s high time we recognize some of the truly amazing simming and online role playing that makes this fleet a special place–a place where people join and stick around.

Congratulations to all of our latest award winners below!

The Special Commendation Medal is awarded for achievement above and beyond the call of duty at the crewmember level.

Special Commendation Medal

Awarded to Lieutenant Owen Woodhouse of the USS Firebird for outstanding role playing. A charter member of the Firebird, he has done it all from writing for a variety of characters to introducing meaningful plot twists to setting up other players to take the lead. A master recruiter, he has brought in four players new to simming and has one Recruitment award win.

Awarded to Lieutenant Commander Rhiana t’Aegis of the USS Firebird for outstanding role playing. A member of the Firebird since shortly after its founding, the detail and nuance of her writing is second to none. She has contributed to multiple post awards and has also been a key leader in managing the ship’s website and teaching and training newer players.

Awarded to Commander Dean House of the USS Sunfire for outstanding role playing. One the remaining transfers from the Sunfire-Liberty sim swap, he continues to be an integral part of the crew. An excellent all around writer, he totals 9.61 awards, good for 15th place all-time, which includes 0.92 Best Posts, 3.18 Funniest Posts, 1 MVP, and 1.5 Recruitment awards.

Awarded to Commander Samantha Howard of the USS Washington for outstanding role playing. A superior simmer in all respects, she has won 5.23 Best Posts, 3.7 Funniest Posts, two Most Posts, and two MVPs, which are part of a grand total of 14.93 total awards, good for sixth place all-time. She simultaneously leads while filling in the gaps.

Awarded to Commander Kevin Lance of the USS Chuck Norris for outstanding role playing leadership. Recently stepping up to the Executive Officer role, he has not missed a beat. Mentoring others while leading high quality collaboration, he currently ranks 9th all-time with 13.4 total awards–an impressive stat line that includes 2.2 Best Posts, two Funniest Posts, seven Most Posts, and two MVPs.

Awarded to Commander Mashiro Munetani “Shiro” of the USS Wayfarer for outstanding role playing leadership. As the Wayfarer’s longtime Executive Officer, he expertly guides both experienced and novice players in working together to creatively advance the plot. He has totaled 2.96 monthly awards across his career that has seen the Wayfarer more than make its mark.

Awarded to Commander Savar cha’Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen of the USS Sunfire for outstanding role playing leadership. As the Sunfire’s longtime Executive Officer, he always knows just what is needed–an update to the website, help to a newer player, or a witty plot twist. He currently ranks 13th all-time with 11.54 total awards, which includes five Most Posts and three MVPs.

Awarded to Captain Michael Murphy of the USS Montana for outstanding role playing leadership. Since promoted to Commanding Officer, he was the prototypical Executive Officer during his long tenure in the position. Winning a variety of awards–0.25 Best Posts, 0.5 Funniest Posts, two MVPs, and two Recruitment awards–he did all the big and little things that mattered.

The Command Excellence Medal is awarded for achievement above and beyond the call of duty at the sim Commanding Officer level.

Command Excellence Medal

Awarded to Captain Akeno Misaki for commanding the USS Wayfarer from 2020 through today for a remarkable 52 total months in command thus far. Known for beginning and facilitating wildly imaginative missions, she has taken home 2.24 Genesis awards and 2.81 Best Posts within her 5.17 total awards. She sets the standard for the modern Commanding Officer.

A sleek, futuristic conference room table with grey surfaces and blue glowing lights on the sides. The chairs surrounding the table have a modern design with dark grey fabric and geometric shapes. The walls of the room are simple, with soft purple accents. The environment has a clean, minimalist, and high-tech aesthetic.

USS Montana Change of Command

As most of you already know, but now to formally enter it into the record:

  • Captain Michael Murphy relieved Captain Jackson Adams as Commanding Officer of the USS Montana on November 1, 2024.

We would like to thank Captain Adams for his 33 outstanding months in command of the Montana. As Captain John Wells, he also commanded the USS Eminence for 8 months. We wish him Godspeed in all his future endeavors! Captain Michael Murphy is no stranger to the Montana, having previously served as the longtime Executive Officer there. We have no doubt that Captain Murphy will continue to build and develop the sim based on the strong foundation that Captain Adams has laid.

Group collage of various characters and celebrities, both real and fictional, dressed in Starfleet uniforms aboard a starship interior. The scene includes humans, anime-style characters, and aliens, with the Independence Fleet logo in the top right corner, representing a Star Trek simming community.

Happy 23rd Anniversary, Independence Fleet

Happy 23rd anniversary, Independence Fleet! For anyone new and not aware or simply not wanting to do the math, this club was founded all the way back on July 4, 2001. Continuing a tradition we began a few years ago, here is a message from a special guest:

What else do we have for this year? You might remember the 20th Anniversary Almanac that we published three years ago. Well, we got the cover page signed by none other than Star Trek legend William Shatner:

pdf | jpg

A closer view of the signature:


In case you were wondering, the cover photo at the top is indeed based on the greatest Star Trek selfie ever taken by LeVar Burton. Thank you to Captain Misaki for creating our header image two years in a row.

I almost forgot, we have a second message this year too:

Happy anniversary, IDF! Here’s to 23 years and much more!

A purple horizontal ribbon with fine dark stripes and three white liberty bell symbols evenly spaced across the center. The ribbon design symbolizes achievement or recognition within the Independence Fleet.

2024 Hall of Fame Inductees

With another year in the books, it is again my great honor and privilege to formally announce the newest members of the Independence Fleet Hall of Fame. As a reminder, induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor this club offers–reserved for those who have demonstrated exemplary service or extraordinary contributions to the fleet, according to the Hall of Fame Charter (pdf). As such, here is your Hall of Fame Class of 2024:

Inducted by Election:

Vice Admiral Krol

of the USS Minerva

A charter member of the fleet, the original and long-time Commanding Officer of the Minerva, and later member of the Admiralty, Krol was an ever-present figure during IDF’s early years. Regardless of the role, he truly immersed himself into his character and the greater Trek universe. Whether in-story or out-of-story, he always fostered an environment of exploration and wonder for others to use.

Lt. Cmdr. T’Vyn

of the USS Victory

The most decorated crewmember of the Victory, T’Vyn was the engine that enabled the sim to be one of the most successful of its era as her seven Most Posts played no small part in the Victory’s 13 posting titles. Boasting 8.5 total awards, she still ranks within the top 20 all-time. Beyond her superior quantity, she was also known to be extremely inventive within the story to empower other writers.

Inducted by the Veterans Committee:

None this year.


Congratulations to each of our 2024 inductees! They continue to provide a timeless example for us still role playing today to follow. The inductees will hereby be remembered forever for their extraordinary service to Independence Fleet. Well done! There are now 43 total members of this most exclusive club.

A futuristic transporter room from a starship, featuring a circular transport pad with glowing blue lights and a surrounding control console displaying LCARS interface. The walls are lined with illuminated panels, and overhead lights highlight the center of the pad.

23rd Anniversary Webcast: July 6th at 7pm Eastern

Beam up to our Discord server this Saturday, July 6th at 7pm Eastern for our 23rd Anniversary Webcast, hosted again by Ken Gillis. Again, that’s July 6th at 7:00 PM ET (-4) / July 7th at 12:00 AM BST (+1). And yes, it will once more include real prizes!

Everyone who won any share of a monthly award from June 2023 through May 2024 had name added to the big wheel below, which we will spin this Saturday for real prizes. All award fractions were rounded up.


Speaking of the big prize wheel, an internal audit of our blog revealed that we never announced the winners from last year’s webcast spin. They were Lieutenant Bonnie “Bon-Bon” Durnell of the USS Sunfire and Captain Shran dh’Klar of the USS Washington. Their prizes were…


What will the prizes be this year? Tune in this Saturday to find out!

A sleek, futuristic conference room table with grey surfaces and blue glowing lights on the sides. The chairs surrounding the table have a modern design with dark grey fabric and geometric shapes. The walls of the room are simple, with soft purple accents. The environment has a clean, minimalist, and high-tech aesthetic.

Admiralty Changes

We have two personnel changes to announce:

  • Rear Admiral James “Rook” Mirtoh hereby relieves Commodore Heather Meadows as Director of Media
  • Captain Aurther Winters is hereby promoted to Rear Admiral and relieves Rear Admiral James “Rook” Mirtoh as Director of Personnel

First, I want to offer my sincerest thanks to Commodore Meadows and she has been a tremendous asset to the fleet over the last two years. Her counsel and wisdom have been invaluable in matters far beyond her formal role here. Our partnership will certainly endure as she continues to do great things in both Theta Fleet and the broader community.

Rear Admiral Mirtoh has served admirably as our Director of Personnel for over four years now. His management of the monthly awards, an institution that sets us apart from many other great fleets, has been second to none. I have no doubt that he will bring the same energy and enthusiasm to his new role.

And finally, Rear Admiral Winters is no stranger around these parts as he commanded the USS Chuck Norris for three years, and loyally served on that same sim for many more before assuming command. I have no doubt that he will fit right in with the Admiralty.