[@Sigma] That works perfectly actually, they're religion is based on ascension, the alien artifacts are mostly to perpetuate that ideal. They believe that the aliens that have died out may have had technology that could help them ascend thus, they seek any and all alien artifacts. The endgame is just to turn them into the Cybran or - to keep with the C&C theme - sort of like the Marked of Kane, non-essential or inefficient biological components replaced with technology developed from knowledge and insight gained from alien artifacts an illgotten form of "ascension".

It'd certainly make for some interesting interaction.