Iax switched into a Sentinel's body and surveyed the completely subdued Votann camp, then turned to Gisente, who lay screaming in pain on the ground.
"I have to admit, the Imperium's augmented warriors do have their advantages. At least pain doesn't impair their combat performance."
After that observation, Iax directed the Sentinels to toss all the surviving Votann into the center of the camp, then immediately began gathering the shattered remains of the Ironkin.
The Sentinels' mechanical arms touched the broken mechanical bodies. Nano-swarms poured from gaps in the Sentinels' bodies and formed data circuits between the Ironkin, collecting the data from every fragment of their remains.
Collecting data from these mechanical beings was simpler than collecting it from biological organisms.
And precisely because the Hearthkyn regarded the Ironkin as kin and always took them along, these inferior intelligences contained vast amounts of data.
Unlike biological organisms, which could forget things, mechanical beings could often store more detailed information.
As the nano-swarms invaded the Ironkin's bodies, Iax quickly discovered that their storage systems also used quantum storage technology. The design and style of their storage units bore unmistakable traces of Federation technology.
This discovery strengthened Iax's resolve to find an Ancestor Core.
As forced data extraction began, some Ironkin who had not yet been fully shut down emitted strange noises. Those wailing sounds sent chills through the surrounding Hearthkyn.
"Ancestors above!"
The Hearthkyn enclosed by a ring of Sentinels in the clearing prayed incessantly.
The few whose injuries were less serious tried to help their mutilated kin.
Whatever the Hearthkyn did, the Sentinels made no response as long as they did not attempt to leave the circle.
The Micro-Field Generators protecting the Ironkin's Brain-Core Units were gradually penetrated by nanomachines.
Once contact was made with their cores, the Brain-Core Units'