| Term | History |
|---|
| 1 | Became a Scientist at age 18 |
| 1 | Entangled in a bureaucratic or legal morass that distracts you from your work. |
| 2 | Continued as Scientist at age 22 |
| 2 | Agreed to perform research that goes against your conscience. Gain 3 Enemies. |
| 2 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 3 | Continued as Scientist at age 26 |
| 3 | A romantic relationship ends badly. Gain a Rival or Enemy. |
| 3 | Promoted to rank 2 |
| 4 | Continued as Scientist 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 3 |
| 5 | Voluntarily left Scientist |
| 5 | Became a Free Trader at age 34 |
| 5 | Smuggle illegal items onto a planet. |
| 5 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 6 | Voluntarily left Free Trader |
| 6 | Became a Explorer at age 38 |
| 6 | Your ship is damaged, and you have to hitch-hike your way back across the stars to the nearest scout base. |
| 6 | Gain 4 Contacts. Gain 1 Enemies. |
| 6 | Promoted to rank 1 |
| 6 | Is now a Scout |
| 7 | Continued as Explorer at age 42 |
| 7 | You discover a world, item or information of worth to the Imperium. |
| 7 | Promoted to rank 2 |
| 8 | Voluntarily left Explorer |
| 8 | Switched to Courier at age 46 |
| 8 | You spend a great deal of time on the fringes of Charted Space. |
| 8 | Gain a contact in an alien race. |
| 9 | Continued as Courier at age 50 |
| 9 | Betrayal. Convert an Ally into a Rival or Enemy. |
| 10 | Aging Crisis. Owe 40,000 for medical bills. |
| 10 | Continued as Courier at age 54 |
| 10 | You have no idea what happened to you – they found your ship drifting on the fringes of friendly space. |
| 11 | Aging Crisis. Owe 30,000 for medical bills. |
| 11 | Retired at age 58 |
| 11 | Moved to a new world. |
| 12 | Aging Crisis. Owe 60,000 for medical bills. |