Officers

Those of you who remember Starflight, a very similar game to SC2, will recall that you had to staff your ship with officers.  Officers were of a variety of races and brought a variety of abilities to the table.  Having the ability to staff your ship with alien races you meet would add a particular flavour to the game, and may offer some variety in the way you approach different scenarios as you explore.  For example, meeting a race for which you have a crew member could open up new dialog options, or increase your chance at diplomacy with said encounter.

What do you think?