[Professor S]

Professor S is a 34th generation "merchant" with little taste for business. In families of that age and significance mercantile is a title, not a profession, and born independently wealthy he spends most of his days studying in his library or at the Union League debating revisionist histories with his fellowed scholars (he grants the fellowships simply to have someone to debate), annoying the other aristocrats in the League to no end.

In one such heated exchange Lord Teightbuttum of New Exeter wagered that the Professor, learned but inexperienced in the real world, could not withstand the rigors of trans-system space travel for more than 60 days. Prideful and confident that his intellect would allow him to prevail through any trial, the Professor accepted the challenge and wager... of one dollar.