Species: Human
Affiliation: Compact Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Nickname: “Tripod”
Bio:
Lieutenant Commander Peter Lancaster, better known by his irreverent nickname “Tripod,” remains one of the Compact Navy’s foremost warp engineers. A self-described dwarf and unapologetic hedonist, Lancaster uses lewd jokes and an unfiltered demeanor to disguise a highly disciplined engineering mind. He is a pioneer of warp technology, with direct experience aboard the Alcubierre, the first human-built warp vessel.
Following the abrupt cancellation of the Alcubierre Project, Lancaster resigned in protest. He was later involuntarily reactivated by Admiral Eileen Burke to serve as chief engineer aboard the Challenger, a retrofitted Zephyr-class starship with warp capabilities. His deep skepticism of Cybercommand’s technical standards was validated when he uncovered critical design flaws that would have flooded the ship with superheated plasma upon activation.
In 438, Lancaster accompanies Lieutenant Connor Duffy on shore leave to Armaneya, where his pursuit of drink, gambling, and interspecies romance gets interrupted by the discovery of a potential quantum entanglement teleportation system. Initially dismissive of the Gelt engineer Shrian’s claims, Lancaster becomes intrigued once Duffy returns with proof: a trip to the Realm’s Throneworld accomplished in an instant.
Lancaster is instrumental in assessing the implications of the technology and relays its potential to Admiral Burke via secure channels. He remains critical of the situation’s legality—particularly the ethics of “purchasing” Shrian’s indenture contract—but helps navigate the legal and political quagmire. He also maintains his trademark crude humor and blunt realism throughout the mission.
Appearances: Warped, Flight Blade, Storming Amargosa, Jump