First off, I would like to thank every single one of you guys who liked my story! I actually feel really good about myself after basically opening up to a bunch of strangers who fight under the symbol of bees, a deadly virus, a octopus on a playground toy and other things. You're all amazing! I especially want to thank the guy who donated some ISK to me, and a specific user who messaged me who said he would be very happy if I came and mined with him someday. Don't worry, I'll make that ISK count, and I'll gladly mine with you in Gallente space, my miner-bro.

Secondly, like before, I have no idea if this guy goes on here. But it's worth a shot anyway.

Dear Carrier Man,

I do not remember your name, or your corporation. I do not know if you left me because of war, an incursion, or because you wanted to wanted to go to sleep because it was really late. But all I know is that you showed me how helpful an experienced player can be, even to the smallest fry in the pond, and showed me the light when it was darkest in my (very short) career.

It seems like only hours ago when you popped into my life, but it was actually 3 days ago. I finally got the time to actually try out EVE for the first time! Well not really try out, but more or less actually play it, because I bought the steam edition back in the winter sale way back in January.

I had just finished creating my character and trying to understand the controls when the little AI lady popped on my screen and said "Hey! Want to try out some opportunities?" I clicked yes, as I thought they would be a tutorial for general pilots. I had no idea f12 brought up a menu for the actual tutorial missions. In fact I thought it just did screenshots.

Anyway, so I'm did the general opportunities, like fly around, warp to a station, dock etc. When suddenly, I get the opportunity to do a mission. I thought to myself that this will be very, very easy. Free Money, all I have to do is orbit 500m, press a button and the enemy ship goes boom, repeat 5 times and done! How hard could it be?

Really, really freaking hard. But not immediately anyway.

The first guy was incredibly easy. The Novice Pirate was a piece of cake, and practically boosted my belief that this game wasn't as difficult as people said it was. This game is hard in the early game? Yeah right, I must be like the new EVE player version Arnold Schwarzenegger then! I cashed in my mission, got my ISK and loyalty points, and then moved on to the second guy. Little did I know it would be one of the largest difficulty spikes in my time actually playing a online game. Anyway, so I drop out of warp into the zone where the enemy spawns, where I have to "defend our miner from a notorious pirate", and if the miner died, I had to beat said pirate one on one. Of course, I think this is going to be a cakewalk, and casually zoom on in. However, on the way in, I didn't notice the wreckage of a newbro's Reaper that had fallen to a blown up fate, but I didn't care for it. All I saw was this little red triangle, harassing this little grey box, and it was going to explode.

Suddenly, a white streak comes from my left and almost immediately hits me for a solid 25 damage, and that was just a grazing shot. I basically panicked and I started clicking on the lock on and gun key like a telegraph machine. My chain gun comes to life, and started to hit him for 8's and 10's, orbiting around the pirate's ship as fast as my Reaper could go. But his ship's shields were stronger than the last guy's, and I was basically just scratching at his paint job. And just like if I was scratching said pirate's paint job, he then retaliated with 2 penetrating missiles, practically murdering my shields and dealing heavy Structural damage to my Reaper, turning the brown to a fire-y red and black.. I made the tactically and probably smart decision to get the fuck outta there to the Military Academy to repair my ship before I blew up. As I prepped to warp away, I saw that pirate deal the killing blow on the miner, blowing him into smithereens as I left the asteroids behind. I vowed to get my revenge.

At the Military Academy, as I repaired my ship for the amazingly high amount of 0.0 ISK, I thought of two things. First off, I'm going to kill that pirate, and secondly, LUCKY BOTS RNG GARBAGE. I was so convinced that it was because the bot got lucky with RNG that I lost the engagement. So I reloaded my cannon and went back to fight once again. Same result. Went back, got beaten, got repaired, repeat two times. I literally was on the verge of calling it quits. I mean, if I couldn't beat the 2nd stage NPC, even with skill training, how the hell am I going to beat a robot with a better chaingun? Or worse, a actual human player with a better chaingun?

Then I made the fateful decision to go into chat, and ask for help.

I first asked Rookie Help if they knew how to counter rockets. My question was immediately buried by a guy asking how to dock in a space station and a few complaints on how the mods on Rookie Help are nazis. I asked again, and this time I got buried by the Mod answering the docking question, and then like 3 people asking how to effectively use autopilot. I naturally got the hint and left that channel.

I then asked Corp Chat. I was part of the military school corp chat, and still am. I asked if they knew how to counter rockets. One of them responded by saying no, the other saying to come on over to Jita 4-4 and buy a better gun for a special price to beat them. I told said guy that I wasn't buying it, and then got a chat message that I think was Russian for "Fuck you, you fucking faggot" in all caps. That channel didn't work either.

Finally I came onto Local, and asked the same question. I was just so done with the "community" for that day. No help, no answers, not even a single "yes I know something about missiles". I was miffed. But suddenly, I get a reply saying "yes", and asking me what's the problem. I explained my situation to this random guy in local, and he said he would help me! He would be over there in a minute, and that he was "undocking his carrier from the station right now". Now when I was piloting my Reaper, the only ships that were bigger than me (that I saw anyway) were just CONCORD ships and Ventures taking off for rare minerals. Then, from the undock area of the Military School, comes this gigantic blue ship that seems to seemed to teleport straight out of nowhere. This thing was so huge the gates seems to just barely scrape the top. I was surprised to say the least, I thought you were kidding when you said you had a carrier.

You asked where this guy was, I said he was in a asteroid belt. You asked where, I said it was part of a mission. You asked what and where the mission was, and I told you that the mission was in the station. You then slide back into the station, the blue ship disappearing into the light. I was still in shock. I thought these things were supposed to be in Null and LowSec! What is this guy doing here? I was going to ask you, but you came out again and said that your carrier was unqualified for the mission, and told me to basically lead him to the problem as part of a fleet. Naturally I freaked the fuck out. How was I, a guy who literally started playing a hour ago, supposed to guide you, a guy with probably millions of ISK and a freaking Carrier?!

But you were calm and patient. You told me told me how to invite you into a fleet, how to make you a wing man in said fleet, how to make me a fleet commander, and how to make a course for the group. All the while I'm thinking "This guy is pulling my leg, he's showing me the way to pull me into some kind of wormhole, and I'm going to be wishing I got blown up by a bot with RNG rockets." But instead of getting probably the easiest gank in the history of ganks, you actually helped me. You even told me that F12 actually tells you where to find the career agents AND does screenshots, and that after this was done I should do those missions, and I listened, both because I was hoping to learn, and because this is a freaking Carrier telling a starter to do something that can help the starter, and if I dont he's going to maul me or something.

We then emerged on the asteroid field. My ship ready to try again for the fourth time, your ship nearly shining a nice blue grey shine. Naturally, I made the first move forward, but before I even get the chance to even get my lock on ready, the Carrier releases a few drones. Time seems to slow down as we both watch the drones slowly make their way over to the ship. One of them made a webbing around it, while another one, a Hobgoblin or something, tore into it. It was amazing. But at the same time I had to gun it over there to actually get credit, or at least I think it was how it works. I'm not a quest wizard. Then, the drones went quiet, and I then proceeded to tear into the pirate's structure with the full fury of a fully loaded 125mm Gatling cannon, and killed him. I was so happy, as I felt like I beat this monster of a NPC! I naturally wanted to thank you, but when I when I looked around, you were gone. I checked fleet chat, you were gone. Even Fleet control and local you were nowhere to be found. Not a message, not a mail, not even a o/. Just gone, like dust in the solar wind.

I don't remember your name or your corp, Carrier Man. I don't know where you went or why you went like you did. But all I know is this: You are the hero that pulled me out of actually quitting the game that fateful night, and kept me playing to this very day. You inspired me to actually try and help people when they ask for it on Local or Corp chat, just like you did to me. You inspired me to respond and be calm with people. Heck, you even inspired me to write these shoutouts, which allowed me to know even more people than I ever thought I would meet on here. I guess I just don't know how to say it in any other way.

Thank you so, so much, Carrier Man. May you always fly safe. o7

Sincerely,

/u/A-GPS

P.S. : I finished those career lessons a day ago, just like you told me to. If you ever read this, hopefully we come and roll together like we did before. You got lead this time.