Ok, let me say no to normal space FTL straight away. That is a potential relativistic weapon right there, and I'm having none of that, not even speeds like in stargate where ships clocked at 0.6c. If somebody wants to render a planet uninhabitable, they're going to have to put effort and risk into it, not just send a comet at light speed at anyone they don't like.

As I said, the relic to start with is not necessary and you can ask for something else or nothing at all, my folks are at disadvantage by design too. I just don't recommend continuing down that road with the relics you discover afterwards, that's a shortcut to getting extinct xP