The basic idea is, the pc's have all just graduated from the academy. The first few sessions are the cadet cruise. Then, with it being online, and the pc's beign sent to go about their careers, each pc has a night a week that I run their ship. The rest of the time, the players post messages to maintain the cadet friendships. At some point, they are skilled and promoted enough one of them gets a ship of his/her own and calls on those contacts to be the department heads.
I have a few players all ready, but could use a couple more. It will be starting in about a month.