Dawn of the Drones

Uthonian Swarm
Uthonian Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyUiu_2jjP8

“It didn’t have to come to this, but our options were getting slim. We can speak of making a better galaxy, but the singled will not listen to us. If they won’t listen, we won’t warn them about what’s about to happen…”

In the wake of the destruction of the Feforyan Unity, the Uthonians collectively realized that the galactic community will never accept them, or even consider peacefully leaving them alone in their corner. Knowing that a war was imminent, the hive began mass production of military drones to protect itself. As the drone armies swelled with numbers and more offensive operations began, the hive started to plan out how it would survive in such a hostile galaxy.  Knowing that it would fail in a full invasion, they opted for a more subtle approach to protect themselves and accomplish their goal of unifying the galaxy.
In recent months cargo ships were abducted, supplies tainted, the crews infected, and memories wiped. Through the vast galactic trade network the Uthonian Swarm used its will, and all means that it could, to covertly start the assimilation of other worlds. In addition to this, some covert assimilated drones began uploading old I.R.I.S. programs to the computer networks of the galaxy, so that they could effectively combat the Synthetic Empires the swarm so disliked. Many had unknowingly been subjected to the assimilation methods of the Uthonian’s master plan.
Assimilation seemed to happen in three distinct phases for those who were infected: It would first appear that they had a minor flu or other similar ailment, usually accompanied by minor memory loss. In the second phase, severe memory loss and agitation occured. Finally in the third phase, the infected became a full-fledged drone of the Swarm, and all psionic abilities and free will were lost to the Overmind. Surprisingly, this trend seemed to follow with Synthetics; where the Uthonians had covertly uploaded a modified version of old I.R.I.S. software into the various droids and computers of these Empires.
For many it began with a simple cold or stomach bug, and even Synthetics seemed to act strange. It then advanced into memory loss and seizures, and ended with a newly assimilated drone to add to the vast ranks of the Uthonian Swarm. Because of this slow conversion, not even powerful psionics or gestalt cybernetic minds could detect the influence of the nefarious doings of the hive in the beginning. Every level of society was affected by this drone plague, from the highest lords in the echelons of governments, to the lowest street urchins shivering in the gutter. None were truly safe from this supposed apocalypse. Despite being assimilated, there was a problem for the Overmind, and the people of these planets.
Being an impure form of assimilation, the newly fully assimilated drones went savage. They were at war in their own minds with the Uthonian consciousness, bodies being controlled while their mind is trapped looking through a window, unable to do anything. Snarling and mashing they would tear through entire cities, attacking anyone and anything that wasn't them. Worse yet they seemed to be almost intelligent, knowing how to use basic weapons and do basic tasks, making them even more formidable. Worse still, prior to these now roving drones, several sensor arrays had detected Uthonian Swarm fleets preparing for a first strike to regain control over what would soon be their worlds.
The Empires of the galaxy had a short window of time to remedy their outbreak of assimilated drones, and prepare before the Uthonians began invading their worlds. With the galaxy in chaos, safety was a luxury that the powers that be could no longer afford. Some nations, however, detected the drones early on and quarantined themselves to avoid the coming bloodshed: Refusing to help or even communicate with others until they were sure it was safe.

Zombie Drones Community Event Prompt.
In this community event the Uthonian Swarm has found several ways into the empires of the galaxy and plans to take them through covert assimilation and strategic invasions. Some empires may have caught on early to the hive’s tricks and preemptively quarantined themselves.

The Uthonian Swarm has infiltrated your empire through various sneaky means (You decide how).
All empires are eligible to be infected. Machine, gestalt, psionic, and biological can all participate in this event.
Anyone could be getting assimilated and not know it yet.
For simplicity there are 3 levels of assimilated beings. 1st is partially: They experience flu like symptoms and memory loss, they can generally function but are succumbing to the Overmind. 2nd, partially assimilated: These are beings who have been partly brought into the hive. Memory loss is greater and there is heightened aggression for any being that is not infected. Finally 3rd stage: Where full assimilation occurs, all psionic abilities are lost and the individual will act violently and unpredictably while also trying to assimilate or kill any non infected.
Machine empires have been “infected” with altered I.R.I.S. software that acts in a similar way to the organic assimilation process.
All Psionic beings have decreased or null psionic abilities when respectively partially or completely assimilated.
Some assimilation process are faster than others, depending on the species.
Some infected can have the assimilation virus lie dormant for long periods of time before it starts affecting them.
There is widespread chaos, most order in affected areas has been lost.
Your empire has 10 days (IRL Time) to prepare and fix their zombie drone problem before the Uthonians start sending invasion fleets (For the sake of the story we will say 14 weeks).
If you don’t want to participate ,you don’t have to. Your empire will be considered “quarantined”.
Afflicted empires can help each other.
Bonus points if you include a song and to reflect the mood(s) of your empire during this crisis.
This prompt and empire’s story that participate will be publicly posted, unless you specifically ask not to have your empire’s story go public.