| Term | History |
| 1 | Became a Barbarian at age 18 |
| 1 | Find valuable salvage. |
| 2 | Continued as Barbarian at age 22 |
| 2 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 3 | Continued as Barbarian at age 26 |
| 3 | Betrayed by a friend. One of your Contacts or Allies betrays you, ending your career. That Contact or Ally becomes a Rival or Enemy. |
| 4 | Became a Free Trader at age 30 |
| 4 | A sudden war destroys your trade routes and contacts, forcing you to flee that region of space. |
| 4 | Gain rebels as Enemy |
| 5 | Became a Surveyor at age 34 |
| 5 | Spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship. |
| 6 | Continued as Surveyor at age 38 |
| 6 | You spend a great deal of time on the fringes of Charted Space. |
| 6 | Gain a contact in an alien race. |
| 7 | Voluntarily left Surveyor |
| 7 | Became a Enforcer at age 42 |
| 7 | A job goes wrong, forcing you to flee off-planet. |
| 8 | Returned to Barbarian at age 46 |
| 8 | Betrayed by a friend. One of your Contacts or Allies betrays you, ending your career. That Contact or Ally becomes a Rival or Enemy. |
| 9 | Became a Engineer/Gunner at age 50 |
| 9 | Is now a Crewman |
| 9 | Nearly killed. Owe 6,250 for medical bills. |
| 9 | Promoted to Engineer/Gunner rank 1 |
| 9 | Is now a Able Spacehand |
| 10 | Continued as Engineer/Gunner at age 54 |
| 10 | Vessel participates in a notable military engagement. |
| 10 | Promoted to Engineer/Gunner rank 2 |
| 10 | Is now a Petty Officer, 3rd class |
| 11 | Aging Crisis. Owe 20,000 for medical bills. |
| 11 | Continued as Engineer/Gunner at age 58 |
| 11 | Special assignment or duty on board ship. |
| 11 | Promoted to Engineer/Gunner rank 3 |
| 11 | Is now a Petty Officer, 2nd class |
| 12 | Aging Crisis. Owe 60,000 for medical bills. |