Rook Mirtoh, Author at Independence Fleet

A close-up view of a futuristic starship's bridge seats, featuring a central command chair with an elaborate design. The seat has angular, dark purple and beige components, with additional seats on either side, all positioned in front of a curved control panel. The overall design is modern with sleek, minimalistic features and geometric shapes.

My Favorite Trek: Malcom Llwyedd

Posted on September 17, 2025 | by Rook Mirtoh | 1 Comment

Character Name: Malcom Llwyedd

Rank: Captain

Position: Commanding Officer

Plus…
Petty Officer First Class Kipp Lak, Petty Officer Second Class Keith Potter, Petty Officer First Class Fhiri, and Ensign Gazo Daw

Which one is your favorite?
Malcom has been my favorite, and not just because he’s the Captain. He is a veteran of the Dominion War and has a lot of challenges. However, he always tries to do the best for the crew, and that balance between flaws and compassion is always compelling.

Favorite Star Trek episode?
“In the Pale Moonlight” (Deep Space Nine: Season 6, Episode 19)

Why?
It strips away all of the shiny parts and shows how, in war, people make hard choices that haunt them forever.

Favorite Star Trek series?
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Why?
I loved the format, the non-traditional setting, and the variety of characters, including non-Federation ones. It was the first series I watched all the way through from beginning to end.

Favorite Star Trek film?
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Why?
It was my first Trek I saw in the theater and it was such a powerhouse. It really ignited my love for Star Trek.

Favorite Star Trek Captain?
Captain Sisko: He was the anti-Picard in a lot of ways. He was stern, physical, funny but in a sly way, and cerebral. But a big part of it was that his role as a father was at the forefront of so much of the show. That was really important to me and made him more of a person.

What year did you start simming?
2017

What sim was it?
USS Fearless

What keeps you simming today?
I love telling stories in the Star Trek setting. I approach sim writing as collaborative novel/episode writing. My goal is to put together the best “show” of the highest quality. I also just love writing with my crew. They are so talented and creative. It never gets old when you write a post and sit back and go, wow, that is so good.

Favorite non-simming hobby?
I run multiple role playing games. Been a GM for 25 years (mostly Forgotten Realms D&D but also Star Trek, Star Wars, Firefly, Twilight 2000, and many more).

Favorite non-Trek series?
Ted Lasso

Favorite non-Trek film?
The Princess Bride

Favorite author?
Bernard Cornwell

Favorite book (fiction or non)?
The Lord of the Rings

Favorite video game?
Baldur’s Gate 3

Favorite musician or band?
Pearl Jam

Favorite superhero?
Iron Man

Favorite sport?
English Football

Favorite food?
Made at home, spaghetti. At a restaurant, steak.

Coke or Pepsi?
Coke

Star Trek or Star Wars?
Star Trek

Rank the Trek TV shows from best to worst.
Deep Space Nine
The Next Generation
Strange New Worlds
TOS
Voyager
Picard
Enterprise
Discovery

Rank the Trek movies from best to worst.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek First Contact
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek Insurrection
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek (Abrams)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: Into Darkness
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek: Nemesis
Star Trek: Beyond

Favorite IDF swag?
Mouse pad! I use it every day.

Rear Admiral James “Rook” Mirtoh
Director of Media
Independence Fleet

My Favorite Trek: Michael Murphy

Posted on June 27, 2025 | by Rook Mirtoh | 1 Comment

Character Name: Michael Murphy

Rank: Captain

Sim: USS Montana

Position: Commanding Officer

Plus…
Lt. Aaron Mitchell, USS Montana, Assistant Chief Engineering Officer (NCP)
Lt. Nerex, USS Eminence, Flight Control Chief

How many times have you posted for one character while intending on posting for another?
I try to make each character unique enough to make it easier to keep up with. It helps that one is a Romulan.

Favorite Star Trek episode?
“Those Old Scientists” (Strange New Worlds, season 2, episode 7)

Why?
It’s a crossover between two of my favorite Star Trek series. Plus I’m a sucker for time travel episodes.

Favorite Star Trek series?
Lower Decks, then Strange New Worlds, then Discovery.

Why?
Lower Decks is a lot of fun, and it’s nice to see things from a different perspective. Strange New Worlds captures the essence of The Original Series for me, updating it for modern audiences. And Discovery had me hooked since the amazing story they told in season 1.

Favorite Star Trek film?
My #1 pick would be The Undiscovered Country, #2 would be First Contact, and #3 would be Star Trek 2009.

Why?
Undiscovered Country’s story is great, the secret plot, the spy onboard the Enterprise, the race to save the day, and ultimately the treaty that changes the power dynamic in the universe for the future. First Contact because I loved that particular Borg storyline. And Star Trek 2009 is just a lot of fun.

Favorite Star Trek Captain?
Christopher Pike, both in Strange New Worlds and in Star Trek 2009.

What year did you start simming?
Somewhere between 2003 and 2006.

What sim was it?
RSS or DFA Cromwell in Borderlands.

What keeps you simming today?
I enjoy roleplaying with others. I enjoy telling stories together.

Favorite non-simming hobby?
Video games, board games, and card games.

Favorite non-Trek series?
Of all time, it would probably be between Friends and One Tree Hill.

Favorite non-Trek film?
It’s very hard to narrow down one favorite, I have always enjoyed films very much. A Few Good Men, A Goofy Movie, and 1776 have been some of my favorites.

Favorite book (fiction or non)?
Imzadi by Peter David will always be one of my favorite books, if not my favorite book. The Harry Potter series also comes to mind.

Favorite video game?
Right now, it’s Sea of Thieves.

Favorite musician or band?
It was Rascal Flatts. Lately it’s The Holderness Family.

Favorite superhero?
Spiderman or Hawkeye. Hawkeye’s great because he’s a normal guy fighting alongside superheroes. Spiderman’s just great. I’m loving the new Spiderverse series of films.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
First choice, immortality. Second choice, mind-reading.

Favorite sport?
To play, Dodgeball. To watch, none. I do like watching sports movies, though.

Favorite team?
I’ve always been a Dallas Cowboy fan.

Favorite food?
Made at home, spaghetti. At a restaurant, steak.

Coke or Pepsi?
Pepsi, so I can get that Mountain Dew.

Lennon or McCartney?
Lennon

Favorite Bond actor?
Sean Connery

Star Trek or Star Wars?
Star Trek, although I love both.

Rank the Trek TV shows from best to worst.
Lower Decks
Strange New Worlds
Discovery
Picard
Deep Space Nine
Voyager
Enterprise
The Next Generation
Prodigy
The Original Series
I haven’t seen The Animated Series yet.

Rank the Trek movies from best to worst.
The Undiscovered Country
First Contact
Star Trek 2009
The Voyage Home
Nemesis
Into Darkness
Wrath of Khan
Generations
Beyond
Insurrection
The Final Frontier
The Search For Spock
The Motion Picture

Rear Admiral James “Rook” Mirtoh
Director of Media
Independence Fleet

My Favorite Trek: Jonathan Grayson / Savar

Posted on January 27, 2025 | by Rook Mirtoh | 1 Comment

Character Name: Jonathan Grayson / Savar cha’Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen

Rank: Commander / Commander

Sim: USS Washington / USS Sunfire

Position: Executive Officer / Executive Officer

Plus…
Lt. Thomas Haldeman, USS Sunfire, Chief Diplomatic Officer (NPC)
Lt. Jessica Holland, USS Sunfire, Security Officer (NPC)
Crewman John Boy Perriwinlke, USS Sunfire, Media Relations Officer (NPC)
Lt. Wyatt Steele, USS Washington, Chief Strategic Ops Officer (NPC)
Lt.jg. Ben Dalton, USS Washington, Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist
(NPC)
Lt. Seth Travis, USS Washington, Chief Diplomatic Officer (NPC)

Wow, how do you keep up, and how many times have you posted for one character while intending on posting for another?
lol. It can be a challenge at times, but they are all diverse characters so that helps. I have started to post one character for another, but I’ve caught myself before actually sending it. At least I hope I have!

Favorite Star Trek episode?
The Doomsday Machine (TOS)

Why?
Great character study with William Windom playing the guilt ridden Commodore Decker who wants to avenge his crew by destroying his Moby Dick.

Favorite Star Trek series?
The Original Series

Why?
It was new and exciting, a trailblazer for all the other Trek series and movies that followed.

Favorite Star Trek film?
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Why?
Great storyline, plus the incomparable Ricardo Montalban returning as Khan.

Favorite Star Trek Captain?
James T. Kirk, all the way.

What year did you start simming?
Since dirt came into being. lol.

What sim was it?
Continuing Voyages

What keeps you simming today?
The interaction with the other players and writing, seeing, and reading the amazing stories that are created.

Favorite non-simming hobby?
Building models, reading, writing Trek.

Favorite non-Trek series?
Babylon Five

Favorite non-Trek film?
Planet of the Apes

Favorite book (fiction or non)?
To Kill a Mockingbird

Favorite video game?
Don’t have one, sorry.

Favorite musician or band?
The Beatles

Favorite superhero?
Green Lantern

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Whoa, good question. I guess the power to bend or manipulate time.

Favorite sport?
Baseball

Favorite team?
New York Yankees

Favorite food?
Ham

Coke or Pepsi?
Pepsi

Lennon or McCartney?
McCartney

Favorite Bond actor?
Sean Connery, followed by Daniel Craig.

Star Trek or Star Wars?
Star Trek, no question about it.

Rank the Trek TV shows from best to worst.
TOS
DSN
TNG
SNW
VOY
ENT
DSC
I don’t rank the animated shows.

Rank the Trek movies from best to worst.
Wrath of Khan, Voyage Home, Search for Spock, Undiscovered Country, Star Trek the movie and Final Frontier. Then, the TNG movies. I don’t count the Abrams movies.
TWOK
TVH
TSFS
TUC
TMP
TFF
Then the TNG movies. I don’t count the Abrams movies.

Rear Admiral James “Rook” Mirtoh
Director of Media
Independence Fleet

Monthly Awards: September 2023

Posted on October 18, 2023 | by Rook Mirtoh | 2 Comments

It’s time to announce our latest award winners…

Best Post (Single Author)

Commander Jonathan Grayson
Executive Officer
USS Washington

For “So, We are Decided”

Well written post from the bad guys’ point of view! It really moves the plot forward and gives the rest of the crew ample opportunity to write. Nice work!

Best Post (Joint Post)

Capt. Akeno Misaki & Cmdr. Mashiro Munetani “Shiro” & Lt. Cmdr. Raelyn Mckenzie & Lt. Cmdr. Mark Johnson & Lt. Ileah & Lt. Luna Eclipse of the House of Martok
CO / XO / CSTO / CMO / Y / CFCO
USS Wayfarer

For “Wayfarer Down”

Great post! The crew defeated by the enemy with no hope of escape. I love it!

Funniest Post

Lt. Bonnie “Bon-Bon” Durnell & Patin & Cmdr. Dean House & Lt. Thriss Kla’ren & Lt. Chester “Duo” Maxwell & Lt. T’Ka O’Drisscol & Lt. JG S’Ers-a Kelek t’LyrZor, Maa t’Lyr’Zor & Lt. JG Montgomery Vala & Lt. JG Zara Ghemora & 1st Lt. Kate Score & Lt. JG Blake Leone & Ens. Syrik & Lt. Thomas Haldeman & Lt. Alison Haldeman & SCPO Ronson Mitchell
CSS / Guest / 2O / CEO / COO / CMO / CRO / CSO / CIO / MCO / DO / FCO / CDO / ACOO / Y
USS Sunfire

For “The Easy Way or…”

Lots of jokes. Well done!

Genesis

Captain Michael Intermeezo
Commanding Officer
USS Chuck Norris

For “Down the Rabbit Hole”

Not your typical mirror universe mission. Great opportunities here!

MVP

Lieutenant Steve Ryan
Chief Communications and Operations Officer
USS Montana

Lt. Ryan continued his Most Improved performance last month into an MVP this month. Great posting and great collaboration. But perhaps most importantly, he is always willing to fill in where needed.

Most Posts

Lt. Cmdr. Mira Rodale
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

For writing 30 posts.

Most Improved

S’Ers-a ch’T’Pel Kelek t’LyrZor, Maa t’Lyr’Zor
Chief Security Officer
USS Sunfire

Sera immediately jumped into the fray and made valuable contributions to both the plot and the characters.

Rookie of the Month

Lieutenant Tedrum Savat
Operations Officer
USS Washington

The new Vulcan came aboard as an immediate team player by jumping right into the mission with excellent technical and canonical contributions.

Recruitment

Lieutenant Katja Becker
Chief Medical Officer
USS Montana

Although new to the sim herself, Lt. Becker wasted no time in recruiting a new Chief Engineer. Recruiting the bedrock of simming, well done!

Great job, fleet!