Or something about 20 prescripted captains well known in sector. As npc's, we can meet them in every game we start. They can join factions or do bounties or exploration, or trying to sell they ship in the bar. We can defeat them, get quest from them or about them, rescue them from jail, from failed exploration mission. In rare occasion we can recruit them. They cannot die by default, only in rare occasion. They had named ships, not unique, just named and fitted to they skills. They can hold some lore and they own stories.
Idea is to create some personalities, we can met and remember.