I wanted to check if this was working properly before posting it as a bug.
Civilians have not kept up in engine technology.
I found some advanced engines in the ruins. Taking them apart allowed me to go from Ion to Internal Fusion (T3->T5). I do not have the reactor techs that usually serve as prerequisites. The shipping lines have built and scrapped ships; all are still Ion. They have no non-ion engine designs.
Is this working properly? Next step, spending the time to get the reactors and see if that triggers anything.