Reading some Nihei has convinced me to start going weirder and that boxguns are fine.
Beginning with the Drifters - in all eras they have the abnormally tall and thin look expected of a low-grav spacefaring race, 7-8 foot range, not quite obeying human proportions, and highly conformed facial structure. They aren't as fragile as they look, and have an alarming - and alarmingly well-concealed - tech lead.