Conquering C.A.R.E planet?

[Celulthor]

In my current game a neighboring AI empire got the C.A.R.E relic world. They colonized the planet, excavated the archaeology site and apparently picked the option that put them in war with the C.A.R.E. Later on I conquered that system, which now has this planet:

I can't land troops on it, because it isn't colonized - even though there are clearly pops in there:

I can't colonize the planet either. If I try to bombard the planet with a fleet, I get the dialog box warning that this action puts me in war with planet's owner, but when I proceed nothing happens:

Is there any way for me to get the planet in ironman mode without save editing?

 

[tobias.mb]

Have you checked, if you can colonize via the colony planner? Otherwise I'd try blasting it with the Divine Enforcer.

 

[Celulthor]

Have you checked, if you can colonize via the colony planner? Otherwise I'd try blasting it with the Divine Enforcer.

Expansion planner doesn't list the planet as colonisable. I'm playing as fanatic materialist, so Divine Enforcer isn't in the cards. Would Neutron Sweep work also on the machine pops?

 

[Chaosboy]

Expansion planner doesn't list the planet as colonisable. I'm playing as fanatic materialist, so Divine Enforcer isn't in the cards. Would Neutron Sweep work also on the machine pops?

I haven't tried for a while, but it should work

 

[Ridixo]

Even if it's a small outpost or an enclave from your empire, try to size the systems that has things that interest you. No matter it's on a bad position once you get what you want you can give the system to someone else if you want or keep it

With Distant Stars and Ancient Relics i got two-three outpost separate from my empire in systems with good archaeological sites