The total charge is zero. And they last for several seconds. About a million kilometers at the speed of light. When the proton beam hits their magnetic field, the nuggets as you call them, keep right on going. And those strange particles will destroy anything in their path.
Ordinary matter is toast.
Our team calls them Quark Bullets. We think it's cool. Create a combat ready system for me. Then do the same thing on the other three starships. Those ETs are in for a nasty surprise.