The mind control aliens one was supposed to be the Borg, who were apparently originally going to insectoid and to be introduced in the next episode after Conspiracy as the first part of an end of season 2-parter. But a writers strike apparently changed their plans, leading to a rushed single episode for the Season 1 finale, and pushing the Borg’s proper introduction into the next season. They reworked their ideas to a cybernetic hive mind instead by the time they actually introduced the Borg in season 2.