| Term | History |
| 1 | Became a Colonist at age 18 |
| 1 | Hard times caused by a lack of interstellar trade costs you your job. |
| 2 | Became a Field Researcher at age 22 |
| 2 | Advanced training in a specialist field. |
| 2 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 3 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 26 |
| 3 | 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. |
| 3 | An expedition or voyage goes wrong, leaving you stranded in the wilderness. |
| 3 | Gain an Enemy |
| 3 | Promoted to rank 2 |
| 4 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 30 |
| 4 | Betrayal. Convert an Ally into a Rival or Enemy. |
| 5 | Voluntarily left Field Researcher |
| 5 | Became a Explorer at age 34 |
| 5 | Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster but you fail to help. Gain an Enemy. |
| 5 | You have no idea what happened to you – they found your ship drifting on the fringes of friendly space. |
| 5 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 5 | Is now a Scout |
| 6 | Continued as Explorer at age 38 |
| 6 | Psychologically damaged by your time in the scouts. |
| 7 | Switched to Surveyor at age 42 |
| 7 | Spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. |
| 7 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 8 | Continued as Surveyor at age 46 |
| 8 | Lost eye or limb. Owe 5,000 for medical bills. |
| 9 | Became a Barbarian at age 50 |
| 9 | Betrayed by a friend. One of your Contacts or Allies betrays you, ending your career. That Contact or Ally becomes a Rival or Enemy. |
| 10 | Aging Crisis. Owe 30,000 for medical bills. |
| 10 | Retired at age 54 |
| 10 | Betrayal. Convert an Ally into a Rival or Enemy. |
| 11 | Aging Crisis. Owe 10,000 for medical bills. |
| 11 | A romantic relationship deepens, possibly leading to marriage. Gain an Ally. |
| 12 | Aging Crisis. Owe 30,000 for medical bills. |
| 12 | Gained a contact. |
| 13 | Aging Crisis. Owe 60,000 for medical bills. |
| 13 | Accused of a crime |
| 14 | Aging Crisis. Owe 60,000 for medical bills. |