| Term | History |
|---|
| 1 | Became a Explorer at age 18 |
| 1 | Spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. |
| 2 | Continued as Explorer at age 22 |
| 2 | Serve as the courier for an important message from the Imperium. |
| 2 | Forced to muster out. |
| 3 | Became a Field Researcher at age 26 |
| 3 | Assigned to work on a secret project for a patron or organisation. |
| 3 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 4 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 30 |
| 4 | Entangled in a bureaucratic or legal morass that distracts you from your work. |
| 4 | Promoted to rank 2 |
| 5 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 34 |
| 5 | Refused to perform research that goes against your conscience. |
| 5 | Promoted to rank 3 |
| 6 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 38 |
| 6 | 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. |
| 6 | A rival researcher blackens your name or steals your research. Gain a Rival. |
| 6 | Gain an Enemy |
| 6 | Promoted to rank 4 |
| 7 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 42 |
| 7 | Make a breakthrough in your field. |
| 7 | Promoted to rank 5 |
| 8 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 46 |
| 8 | Advanced training in a specialist field. |
| 8 | Promoted to rank 6 |
| 9 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 50 |
| 9 | Gained a contact. |
| 9 | Promoted to rank 7 |
| 10 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 54 |
| 10 | Entangled in a bureaucratic or legal morass that distracts you from your work. |
| 10 | Forced to muster out. |
| 11 | Became a Scavenger at age 58 |
| 11 | Find valuable salvage. |
| 11 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 12 | Aging Crisis. Owe 10,000 for medical bills. |
| 12 | Continued as Scavenger at age 62 |
| 12 | Find valuable salvage. |
| 13 | Aging Crisis. Owe 10,000 for medical bills. |
| 13 | Continued as Scavenger at age 66 |
| 13 | run afoul of a criminal gang, corrupt bureaucrat or other foe. Gain an Enemy. |
| 14 | Aging Crisis. Owe 60,000 for medical bills. |