What happens when a mission offer expires in EVE Online?

Question

I just started out in EVE Online, and finished the beginner tutorial. Next, I got sent to another station with lots of agents to teach me more about combat, mining, etc.

I clicked on several of the agents and now see that each agent I talk to puts a mission offer in my journal. I didn't accept any missions. The offers expire in 7 days. I will never be able to do all those missions in 7 days. I understand I won't lose faction for letting them expire, but will I be able to reacquire the missions again after the offers expire? Since these are tutorial missions, I would hate to miss out on them.

Answer 1

Short answer: No consequences.

You can go back and get the mission at another time. They will send you a letter saying they are tired of waiting but even if you feel guilt from such a response, your character does not.

However, since missions are generated randomly at point of contact, you probably won't get the same mission by talking to the agent again, it will be random. Tutorial missions are probably a bit more forgiving however.

There is however a penalty for turning down a mission 4 hours after turning down that agent for a previous mission. This means that if you turn down a mission from an agent, you must wait 4 hours before turning down another mission or face standing loss. This obviously has no effect if you waited 7 days and the mission expired.

Just don't accept a mission that you don't want to complete.

Answer 2

Under normal conditions you wouldn't have any penalty for not accepting a mission, you just have to wait a few hours between DECLINING missions from a single agent.

Problem is what you seem to be describing is the Career arcs. Those (at least used to) behave differently.

First, they are not random they are sequential set of missions that teach you their specialty.

Second, they have better rewards including ships, skill books, and things you will need to do that job.

I would recommend doing all of the career missions just for all the frigs, and experience they give you.

IIRC, (and this link seems to back up) letting a career mission expire means you can not continue it with that agent. The forum discussion does mention that a GM can and will reset the missions for you however.