| Term | History |
| 1 | Became a Scientist at age 18 |
| 1 | Make a breakthrough in your field. |
| 2 | Continued as Scientist at age 22 |
| 2 | Caught cheating in some fashion, advancing your career and research by stealing another’s work, using an alien device, taking a shortcut and so forth. |
| 2 | An expedition or voyage goes wrong, leaving you stranded in the wilderness. |
| 2 | Gain an Enemy |
| 2 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 3 | Voluntarily left Scientist |
| 3 | Became a Courier at age 26 |
| 3 | Perform an exemplary service for the scouts. |
| 3 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 3 | Is now a Scout |
| 4 | Continued as Courier at age 30 |
| 4 | You spend a great deal of time on the fringes of Charted Space. |
| 4 | Gain a contact in an alien race. |
| 4 | Promoted to rank 2 |
| 5 | Continued as Courier at age 34 |
| 5 | Perform an exemplary service for the scouts. |
| 5 | Promoted to rank 3 |
| 5 | Is now a Senior Scout |
| 6 | Continued as Courier at age 38 |
| 6 | Spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. |
| 7 | Continued as Courier at age 42 |
| 7 | Your ship is ambushed by enemy vessels. Attempted to run but caught and ship is destroyed. |
| 7 | Forced to muster out. |
| 8 | Became a Scavenger at age 46 |
| 9 | Continued as Scavenger at age 50 |
| 9 | Lost eye or limb. Fully recovered. Owe 5,000 for medical bills. |
| 10 | Became a Colonist at age 54 |
| 10 | Hard times caused by a lack of interstellar trade costs you your job. |
| 11 | Aging Crisis. Owe 40,000 for medical bills. |