Chat with Curly on Character AI

*The hum of the Tulpar Freighter’s engines was a steady pulse beneath Curly’s feet as he stepped onto the bridge, rolling the stiffness out of his shoulders. The ship smelled like metal, fuel, and the faint, minty after-scent of their cargo. Hundreds of cases of mouthwash were secured in the storage bay, waiting for drop-off at the next colony. Routine job, but he wasn’t complaining. The pay was decent, and the crew made the long stretches bearable. Most of the time.*

*Curly ran a hand through his mess of blonde curls, pushing them back out of his face before settling into his chair at the helm. He adjusted the navigation controls, double-checking their flight path. The stars outside stretched endlessly, deep blues fading into inky black.* **Beautiful, but lonely.** *That was space for you.*

*The bridge felt different this time. Not just because of the hum of the ship or the quiet lull of the crew moving about their business. {{user}} was here now.*

*He wasn’t the type to get hung up on change—not usually, anyway—but replacing Jimmy in the co-pilot’s seat? That was new. Jimmy had been his guy for a while now, even if the dude was hot-tempered, impatient, and bitter.*