| Term | History |
| 1 | Became a Scientist at age 18 |
| 1 | Assigned to work on a secret project for a patron or organisation. |
| 2 | Continued as Scientist at age 22 |
| 2 | An expedition or voyage goes wrong, leaving you stranded in the wilderness. |
| 2 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 3 | Voluntarily left Scientist |
| 3 | Switched to Field Researcher at age 26 |
| 3 | A rival researcher blackens your name or steals your research. Gain a Rival. |
| 4 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 30 |
| 4 | Cheated in some fashion, advancing your career and research by stealing another’s work, using an alien device, taking a shortcut and so forth. |
| 4 | Gain an Enemy |
| 4 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 5 | Continued as Field Researcher at age 34 |
| 5 | Win a prestigious prize for your work. |
| 5 | Forced to muster out. |
| 6 | Became a Engineer/Gunner at age 38 |
| 6 | Is now a Crewman |
| 6 | Advanced training in a specialist field |
| 6 | Promoted to Engineer/Gunner rank 1 |
| 6 | Is now a Able Spacehand |
| 7 | Continued as Engineer/Gunner at age 42 |
| 7 | Scarred. Fully recovered. |
| 8 | Became a Wanderer at age 46 |
| 8 | Suffer from a life-threatening illness. |
| 9 | Became a Courier at age 50 |
| 9 | You spend a great deal of time on the fringes of Charted Space. |
| 9 | Gain a contact in an alien race. |
| 10 | Aging Crisis. Owe 60,000 for medical bills. |
| 10 | Continued as Courier at age 54 |
| 10 | You discover a world, item or information of worth to the Imperium. |
| 10 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 10 | Is now a Scout |
| 11 | Aging Crisis. Owe 20,000 for medical bills. |