So we're gradually getting the ability to outfit our ships with Guardian tech (powerplant, distributor, weapons) - but there are some gaps in what's available. Someone did suggest that prismatic shields might be derived from Guardian tech, and I like that idea.
But what about the frameshift drive?
Yes, I'm aware of the brief appearance of the Guardian FSD booster , but why should it need to piggyback on human tech to function? The Guardians were a starfaring race, they must have had their own FTL drives!
Meanwhile the FSD Booster has still not reappeared. So here's a suggestion for a Guardian Frameshift Drive (not a booster, an actual FSD):
Mass & Integrity: as unengineered human B-grade (the sturdiest standard human tech).
Power & Heat: as human standard A-grade.
Jump range: as human standard C-grade (average human tech), plus a fixed bonus of 3 ly per size category - from +6ly for size 2 to +21ly for size 7.
So one of these in a Corvette or T9 would give a guaranteed 18ly regardless of ship mass, plus whatever an unengineered 6C FSD would give, enough to put them into the 20's. And those who really want to downsize their drives will still get at least 6ly. But lightweight long-jumpers can still use engineered A-rated human tech instead (though those who do a lot of neutron jumps might go for the higher integrity of these drives).
But what about the frameshift drive?
Yes, I'm aware of the brief appearance of the Guardian FSD booster , but why should it need to piggyback on human tech to function? The Guardians were a starfaring race, they must have had their own FTL drives!
Meanwhile the FSD Booster has still not reappeared. So here's a suggestion for a Guardian Frameshift Drive (not a booster, an actual FSD):
Mass & Integrity: as unengineered human B-grade (the sturdiest standard human tech).
Power & Heat: as human standard A-grade.
Jump range: as human standard C-grade (average human tech), plus a fixed bonus of 3 ly per size category - from +6ly for size 2 to +21ly for size 7.
So one of these in a Corvette or T9 would give a guaranteed 18ly regardless of ship mass, plus whatever an unengineered 6C FSD would give, enough to put them into the 20's. And those who really want to downsize their drives will still get at least 6ly. But lightweight long-jumpers can still use engineered A-rated human tech instead (though those who do a lot of neutron jumps might go for the higher integrity of these drives).