If you haven't read the first post about the job of The Clown on Space Station 13, feel free to give it a read!
As mentioned previously, Space Station 13 can be difficult, even without a demanding job; some jobs are demanding out of them being essential to running a station, others by how complex they are, and some by just how many people want the job.
Enter: The Mime. The Mime is different.
Mimes consider themselves incredibly skilled at telling elaborate stories and catering to nuanced emotions with their movements and actions, providing entertainment to the crew through detailed expressions of deep messages. They do so, of course, without their voice!
The mime cannot speak. In some cases, physically, as they spawn in with a mutation that leaves them unable to speak, and others, they are bound by Mime Law to not speak. In some cases, this results in the mime being declared "valid", or a valid target to be hunted and killed by the crew for having used their voice.
As such, the mime must resort to alternative means to hold conversation, as well as explain complicated concepts. Most commonly, this is through detailed, emotive acts, but a common secondary method is to use imagery, such as drawings or by using tools. Some stations allow writing, as well, but generally is frowned upon. Additionally, on some servers the mime actually has the ability to generate invisible walls very briefly, but is being phased out on some servers.
Another common core tenet is that the mime and the clowns are rivals. Both mimes and clowns are entertainers, but their methods of entertainment are diametrically opposed, and thus both sides look upon each other with disdain. Clowns believe that mimes are entirely too stuck-up for their own good, and mimes believe that clowns debase themselves too much.
In contrast to the clown, the mime is very versatile, in a roundabout way. While their primary role is to provide entertainment to the crew like the clown, the mime is not as expected to adhere to that, and actually can serve as an auxiliary crew member throughout the station, should they choose to. Is the mime going to provide moral support through an elaborate show in the hall? Maybe they'll put on an engineering hardsuit and help start the supermatter engine? It's anyone's guess, and crew members who are NOT the mime simply hope they don't get in the way, as mimes are on par with clowns in the ability to pester people at their jobs. Which brings me to the next key aspect.
The will of the mime is a mystery, and that is what makes them dangerous. As a role that focuses so much on intent and interpretation, mimes also use the lack of that to mask their actions and thoughts. There's no reason for a mime to be in maintenance, but also... There's no reason for them NOT to be, so there's not as much suspicion. This duality is seldom afforded to crew members with jobs of any kind.
This also is shown in their traitor items: An Advanced Mimery Guide and a hidden shotgun cane that fires silenced shotgun shells. The Mimery Guide teaches the traitorous mime the ability to fire three invisible bullets from their finger, doing the same damage as real bullets and silencing the target. It also teaches them how to raise an advanced invisible wall that blocks more tiles for longer, potentially sealing off areas for a time. The hidden shotgun cane is self-explanatory, but nonetheless brutally effective.
A good mime can be just as deadly as a good clown; one second, they're doing the can-can on a tabletop in the bar, the next, they're knocking commandos down and beating them to death with a toolbox. The mime can be unreadable to both friend and foe, and a seasoned mime will use that advantage in their endeavors.
Thanks for reading! There's plenty to explore in Space Station 13, and I plan to continue making similar posts like this in the future regarding great aspects of the game. If you're interested in trying out Space Station 13 for yourself, feel free to read my fun facts and intro post for Space Station 13!