This is no criticism of you and your RQ Sci-Fi SRD document.:thumb:
Yes weapons should not important in any Sci Fi RPG Universe, instead it would focus on the general universe/technology and strange alien cultures both human and aliens. You dont travel 4 to 68 parsec to an old human colony/world and step in to old kansas for exampel.
Energy weapons do burn damage, its burns through both metal and flesh and can be very dangerous in an vacuum environment. But there no recoil that's god.
Its really fanny, in many Sci Fi franchises people are running around with powerfull energy weapons and no protection, but i guess it make god special effect.