Players could participate in npc faction wars . say the crimson guys need a hacker to slice into the dark smugglers guild . or the stryll are being hunted by the silthion .
Opportunities for new missions and npcs galore

Even if its hunt down x of these for a mission drop that rewards a shipmod that increase damage you do to that race or something

Or scanning unoc planets for the t.o. to colonize so they dont invade another race

Make the bounties or whatever scale with rank so everyone can participate.