Becoming the Hunter

I have played Eve now for a few years.  Admittedly, most of my career has been that of a carebear.  I have been, like many, the victim of pirates, thieves, gate camps, ganks, and camps.  I have tried my hand at new player friendly pvp corps on several occasions, but never truly found a good fit.  I eventually went into Faction Warfare space solo to learn the hard way.  Many traps sprung, fights being outnumbered, not to mention ships lost, and I finally started to get decent at it.  It wasn’t until I joined my current corporation that everything finally fell into place.  Living in wormholes forces you to learn or be victimized.

Moving into the wormhole it didn’t take long to start getting kills.  It wasn’t until a particular solo kill that I felt I was ready.  I was ninja gas mining some fullerite-c320 when I noted an imicus on d-scan.  So I watch diligently until the probes get close to my location, and then move on.  Knowing this person has my location I decided to head back to base before I lost the progress of gas I had mined.  Once I unloaded I thought, “What the hell,” and returned to the system with my nemesis.  To my surprise, even though several minutes had passed, the person was still scanning.  At this point a familiar feeling for those newer to eve’s brutal pvp system emerged…

My pulse increased as the adrenal glands released those oh so lovely endorphins into my blood stream.  I begin using all the skills I have acquired with d-scan and note the target seems to be showing up and disappearing.  Going on the idea that said target is uncloaking to check his wormhole findings, I track the location of his probes.  I have the entire system bookmarked already so once I would figure out what signature he was on I would warp there at 100km and wait.  Sure enough I see the imicus on d-scan, and approaching.  My heart rate increases to that of a sprint, and sweat begins to dampen my skin.  The would be victim arrives on grid… 30km away from the worm hole, but 70km away from me, and cloaks.  Through the excitement I realize that I didn’t align and approach the last known location.  Disappointed I again look to get ahead of the probes.  This time though I have the player’s name, and also begin to creeper stalk their kill mails.  I figure out which wormhole is their home, and keep this in mind if they decide to leave, but a chase isn’t what I want.

Once again ahead of the probes I warp in at a closer range to the wormhole.  Once again imicus on d-scan and approaching…  by now my heart rate has increased to levels I only experience while fighting a fire, and my hands are shaking like a virgin on prom night.  Sweat pores from my face the likes of which are reserved for habanero peppers.  They hit the grid 30km from me.  This time I remembered to align and approach.  They cloak up.  At this point time seems to slow in the anticipation of finally turning the tables.  I know I have them.  I launch a bomb at their location.  At this point I wasn’t sure that a bomb would destroy the target just that I wanted to spook them out of cloak.  What happened next I wasn’t prepared for.  I am looking for the ship to uncloak when I notice the players pod in front of me.  Time seems to be taking way to long as my shaking hands fumble at the commands to tackle the player.  I land the tackle and immediately go for the kill.  I want no bargaining, no scamming, I just want blood.

After dispatching the player I immediately recloak and hide in case of retaliation.  None came.  I almost get back to my home when I realize that I hadn’t checked my kill mail.  The wreck contained 90million isk of loot.  So, being greedy I turn around to go collect my reward.  I get the loot and his body for a new collection that I still have.  He opens a conversation with me asking how I found him.  In this moment all the shakes are gone, and calm washed over me.  I knew.  I was the hunter.