Things That Don't Work: The Carebear Stare

Every so often, after I bump a highsec miner who refuses to follow the Code, I am accused of "griefing." Given the fact that everything I do is for the benefit of the miners, I find this hilarious--and a little sad. Ever since I came to power in Halaima and expanded to other systems, I have found myself wearing many hats: Governor, judge, mentor, educator, surrogate parent... Many hats indeed, but not one of them is labeled "torturer."

I have considered many different ways of communicating my good intentions to the miners. For some miners, it's easy. They get it. They follow the Code, and they pay me my money. For others, it's like pulling teeth. They'll cling to any false hope of defeating me, just so they don't have to obey the New Order. Incomprehensible.

In the end, I have faith that every single miner I encounter will eventually join forces with me. In the meantime, I give them gifts. Today, I give them the gift of knowledge. As an educator, I'd like to spend some time teaching them about "Things That Don't Work": All the ways that they can never defeat me or the New Order. Once they realize they can't beat me, they'll join me.

Today's edition is about what I call the "Carebear Stare."

When I first began bumping miners, I noted a strange practice that cropped up over and over again. Miners would attempt to retaliate by getting into various ships and locking me. That's it, just locking, not shooting. On occasion, some would attempt to kill me, and always with tragic results. Tragic results for them; victory for the New Order.

Sometimes, as with the naga pictured above, or the thrasher before it, they would get into ships that you would assume are intended for suicide ganks. Why else would you bring such ships into an ice field? But they just lock.

As I have tried to tell them, it's one thing to bring a hurricane into an ice field. That's fine, there are people who have ganked with such a ship. But to lock and not shoot? Madness.

At other times, they send in a ship to give me the Carebear Stare that blurs the line. A prophecy? Well, I guess it's possible... But no, it's just there to lock me. Okay. Now what?

Of course, when they start sending in the drakes as fake gankers, the game falls apart. But if it's meant to be an intimidation tactic, why keep it up for long periods of time? Sometimes they will just follow me around, locking me. If I wasn't frightened within, say, the first minute, why would I be frightened 30 minutes later? Besides, if my Invincible Stabber is incapable of being destroyed by actual attackers--even fleets of them--why would I fear a random ship locking me?

In the end, I've come to realize that it's not an intimidation tactic. It's just a strangely universal way that a carebear vents his frustration and feelings of powerlessness. I hope they feel better when they do it. But as far as stopping me from enforcing the Code and expanding the New Order, the Carebear Stare is just another Thing That Doesn't Work.