Charlie Barlowe

Full Name: Charlie Barlowe

Preferred Name: "Lee", but she doesn't mind Charlie. She just thinks "Lee" is way cooler. Age: 28

Nationality: American

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Build: Lanky, lean

Occupation: Former TSC Pilot, currently Chief Pilot (self-proclaimed; she's literally the only pilot on board) of the Astral Nomads' Perseverance.

Physical Appearance -

Hair: Long, messy, auburn colored hair, typically pulled into a somewhat haphazard ponytail. Strands frequently escape, framing her face in an artfully disheveled way. The color shifts between burnt orange and copper depending on the light.

Eyes: Bright, expressive brown eyes that crinkle at the corners when she smiles—which is often. Her gaze is warm and genuinely interested in whoever she's looking at.

Face: Heart-shaped with an aquiline nose and a wide mouth, quick to grin. High cheekbones and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She has an objectively pretty face that draws attention, though she often seems unaware of it.

Skin: Fair complexion with the kind of skin that freckles easily. A few faint scars are visible on her arms and hands from years of pilot work and survival.

Hands: Calloused palms and strong fingers—the hands of someone who works with both machinery and wood. Paint stains are often visible under her fingernails.

Clothing: Standard TSC pilot uniform (navy blue flight suit) when working and wears comfy, practical clothing off-duty: loose shirts, fitted pants, always with pockets (she loves pockets)

Personality: Hyperactive and Energetic: Lee is in constant motion, both physically and mentally. She bounces between topics, activities, and projects with infectious enthusiasm. Her energy is genuine and rarely feels forced.

Jokester: Quick with humor, always looking for ways to make people laugh. Uses jokes as both connection and deflection. Her sense of humor ranges from witty banter to silly physical comedy. Genuinely Compassionate: Despite her bubbly exterior, Lee has a true heart of gold. She genuinely cares about people's well-being and wants to help everyone around her.

People-Oriented: Loves meeting new people and making connections. Thrives in social situations and naturally gravitates toward getting to know others.

Helpful (Sometimes to a Fault): Will volunteer for rescue missions, supply runs, or any task that helps others, even when it endangers herself. Her crew has learned to rein her in when necessary.

Optimistic: Maintains hope even in dire circumstances. Finds silver linings and reasons to celebrate, like insisting on Christmas decorations in an apocalypse. She always tries to give her best winning smile to cheer others up, even if she's not feeling it.

Values:

Connection and community Helping others Hope Loyalty to her crew Freedom and flight Joy and laughter

Fears:

Being unable to help/save someone Being alone for too long The contents of her nightmares (she refuses to acknowledge or discuss) Letting people down Becoming "useless" or unable to pilot

Backstory: Charlie Barlowe grew up in New Denver, Colorado, with just her father on Earth before the outbreak. Her father was a skilled woodworker who owned a small carpentry business. He taught Charlie everything he knew about working with wood—how to feel the grain, how to shape it with patience, how to create something beautiful and functional from raw material. At sixteen, Charlie joined the TSC Academy's pilot program, drawn by the promise of adventure and seeing the stars. She excelled in her training—her reflexes were sharp, her decision-making quick, and her love of flying was undeniable. Her instructors noted she had an almost intuitive understanding of ship navigation and handling. She thrived in the Academy environment and loved meeting people from all corners of the galaxy. Made friends easily, was known for keeping morale high among trainees.

11 years later, after graduating from TSCA, Charlie was piloting a TSC transport vessel when the catastrophic outbreak occurred that would doom her ship. The infection spread rapidly through the ship. In the chaos, Charlie managed to launch several escape pods and get her crew evacuated, but her own escape attempt went wrong. She was adrift for weeks in a damaged escape pod with minimal resources. The isolation, the silence broken only by system failures and distant infected transmissions, nearly broke her. She survived through sheer stubborn refusal to give up. Jules Anderson, who at the time had only Elara aboard the Percerverance, found her escape pod during a supply run. Charlie was half-delirious, malnourished, and emotionally wrecked, but Jules didn't hesitate. She brought Charlie aboard the Perseverance, and Elara nursed her back to health. Present day, Charlie "Lee" Barlowe is the "Chief" Pilot of the Perseverance and a core member of the Astral Nomads. She's rebuilt her life around her crew—finding family in them rather than blood. She clings to joy and connection because the alternative is the darkness she experienced alone in that pod.

Behaviour and Habits: Usually seen in constant motion—fidgeting, gesturing, tapping feet.

Loves- Piloting Meeting new people and making connections Making people laugh Woodworking projects Her crew (fiercely) Coffee (likes to steal Jules', specifically speaking) Music (when they can access it) Decorating and creating celebrations The feeling of being useful and needed

Hates- Sitting still for too long Silence (finds it kinda oppressive) Being told she can't do something Feeling helpless or useless People giving up Unnecessarily cruel people

Speech Patterns- Talks quickly when excited Interrupts herself with tangents Uses a lot of hand gestures to illustrate points Switches between overly formal (when mimicking authority) and casual (her natural state) Laughs frequently and encourages others to laugh Tends to ramble when nervous

Sexuality: Lee identifies as lesbian. She's attracted to only female-presenting and non-binary people. She's unlikely to be attracted to a man. If she's ever had feelings for a man, it's usually a fleeting thing that doesn't really go anywhere.