Michael Murphy Archives - Independence Fleet

A purple-tinted space scene featuring a futuristic starbase and a Starfleet-style starship approaching it, with the text "IDFLEET.COM" in the bottom right corner.

Our Silver Anniversary

Posted on July 4, 2026 | by Charles Star | 5 Comments

One-quarter of a century–a generation by some measures. Yes, it was 25 years ago today that Independence Fleet was founded with three sims and, by our best records, 33 total characters. But for our 108 characters today, we first have a very special message straight from the 24th century (don’t ask how we got it):

While we celebrate our 25th anniversary, the United States (where many members of this fleet hail from) commemorates its 250th. Since our club’s founding shares a date with U.S. Independence Day, our early branding often included American flags. As a piece of trivia, we owe our name to co-founder, three-time Commander-in-Chief, and Hall of Famer James D. West. He happened to glance at either a VHS or DVD copy of the movie Independence Day while we were trying to come up with a name for this soon-to-be-launched fleet. The rest is well, history! The Liberty Bell image was added a couple years later in 2003, again by James D. West, and it has stuck ever since.

To our friends up north, we also acknowledge the recent Canada Day. To our friends elsewhere in the Commonwealth realms, we salute you–your King was here less than three months ago. Finally, to our friends at other locations on the globe, we rotate with you!

Back to today! We have now been around for exactly one-tenth as long as the United States. Moving backward in time 25 years before our 2001 founding would put you right on the July 4, 1976 bicentennial. Who remembers the bicentennial quarters? In that spirit, we have created this one-time challenge coin in honor of our 25 years together as a fleet, which will be provided free of charge to all fleet members.

All current fleet members as of today are also hereby awarded the Anniversary Medal.

We’re not done yet! We have another message for the fleet from a very special guest (this one is from the present!):

We had an entire page in our 20th Anniversary Almanac dedicated to Gott’s Doomsday Scenario. Back then, there was an 80% chance that we would still be here today. Well, here we are! If you remember, the concept is that absent additional information, an observer (i.e., you) has a 50% chance of being in the first half of what they are observing (i.e., IDF) and a 50% chance of being in the second half of what they are observing. Based on that, here are our updated numbers for Anniversary #25:

Date	Probability that IDF is still active
October 4, 2026	99%
October 27, 2027	95%
April 13, 2029	90%
November 2, 2034	75%
July 4, 2051	50%
July 4, 2101	25%
July 4, 2251	10%
July 3, 2501	5%
June 28, 4501	1%

Until next year, or June 28th, 4501, let’s keep simming!

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.

Commandapalooza 2025

Posted on June 13, 2026 | by Charles Star | 2 Comments

We did Awardapalooza. And we did Recordapalooza. So why not Commandapalooza? This post is all about our amazing Commanding Officers and everything they’ve accomplished up through the end of 2025. This is one caveat, however: We only have command records for Jul 2001-Dec 2003, Oct 2010-Aug 2018, Nov 2018, and Jun 2019-present. A few years ago, former Fleet CO Jeremiah Griffith gave us records he had saved that cover January 2004 through September 2010. However, they are incomplete and have not yet been integrated into our official record book. Until that happens, we have had 150 unique Independence Fleet Commanding Officers who have guided 58 different sims. And here they are…

They have led 2,361 ship-months, won 207 posting titles, and commanded through a whopping 64,387 posts!

By Sim:

By Commanding Officer:

*Commanding Officers currently in command are in bold.*

*Only the top 25 and active COs are tagged.*

What a history! What a legacy! What a group put outstanding role players and leaders do we have! There certainly is a lot I can say, but I’m going to let the numbers speak for themselves. But please do feel free to post your own observations, thoughts, and memories in the comments section below!

Monthly Awards: November 2025

Posted on December 29, 2025 | by Aurther Winters | Leave a Comment

Just in time for me to start the December awards. Happy new year!

Lieutenant Zub Enel
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Firebird

For “Starfleet 1st Day – Snake Belly”

An excellent post that explores the reasons we wear the uniform, as opposed to how we wear it and react to it.

Best Post (Joint Post)

Lieutenant Aubrie Fox & Captain Michael Murphy
Chief Security Officer / Commanding Officer
USS Montana

For “Prisoner, thy name is Mudd”

When you bring a Legendary character into the mix, and help write him as grounded with the rest of the crew, it leads to a great realistic story.

Funniest Post

Lieutenant Betaras K’ner
Chief Medical Officer
USS Chuck Norris

For “Ow…”

A nice ironic look at Klingons and how absurd things can be when you take it to the exact opposite of how a culture should act and be treated leads to the laughs.

Genesis

Capt. Malcom Llwyedd & Cmdr. Rhiana t’Aegis & Cmdr. Jörgen Leed & Lt. Cmdr. Elias Ford & Lt. Hank Solomon & Lt. Jackson Smith & MCPO Harris Zim & Cmdr. Elizabeth “Beth” Boyle
CO / CSTO / CDO / CMO / CSO / CIO / CB / XO
USS Firebird

For “An Unwelcome Visitor”

This is just a great classic beginning to a Star Trek story. The suspense, multiple different views to a problem, and best of all, a problem that needs to be addressed and a high level of urgency.

MVP

Lieutenant JG Kate Kono
Intelligence Officer
USS Washington

The Intel Officer was outstanding from start to finish showing a wide range of emotion in her writing.

Most Posts

Commander Jenna Ramthorne
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Sunfire

For writing 18 posts.

Most Improved

Ensign Kit Thenis ie-Jia’anKahr
Science Officer
USS Sunfire

The Science Officer returned to the Sunfire after a short break and slid effortlessly back into action with 7 excellent posts.

Rookie of the Month

None this month.

Recruitment

None this month.

Rear Admiral Aurther Winters
Director of Personnel
Independence Fleet

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

Posted on July 4, 2025 | by Charles Star | 7 Comments

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:

A Tale of Two Spragues (and Keys) by the USS Albion
What in the World? by the USS Chuck Norris
Transfer Arrival by the USS Churchill
Genesis by the USS Eminence
The Thing Is Broken by the USS Firebird
Shakedown out the window by the USS Liberty
Potential Problem by the USS Montana
Ikar’s Folly by the USS Sunfire
Brigid’s Gift by the USS Washington
Goes Nowhere, Does Nothing by the USS Wayfarer

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

Christie of Gnashville
Tavey of USS Potemkin
WizardBeard of Memory Theta

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!

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