Freedom granted, Chuunitrixx turned stood upon her balcony, and looked out to the cityscape before and beyond her. Raising a fist to her mouth, she cleared her throat, and her voice rippled across the town.

“
[color=forestgreen][b][u][i][center]
Harken on to my image, and hear my words, clear. Today, we are free; behold of all that is ashen stone beneath our feet. Enderall City Corpse is a misnomer, henceforth, because this city is no more a corpse than you or all. Enderall, she breathes, as I, as you, as we all! And, because she breaths, she grows. Lord Rodias has sought fit to allow her growth go unstinted, as long as we are controlled.

So, shall we be.

For you children of her womb, precious and many, her Swarm, her Hive; her love is all given to you, freely and copiously in the very lands that nurture you, shelter you; her love in intellable in depth. For she is the child of my womb, precocious, yet mature, my daughter, my gift; my affection is all her to command, so she many share it so; infinite and everlasting.

As was that of my mother. For, as the sun rises, sets, and days dawn and dusk, we are all children of Lady Traptrix, for whom my Hivequeen title was given before out Matriarch stepped down, and left us. Yes, left us; not somber children, shedding wasteful tears of loss and regret, but determined children -- eyes towards the future. A future, we can, here and now, dare hold in our hands, and take for ourselves.

So, stand, children of my daughter, loyal, brave, and gather yourself against the coming storm. Enderall, my child, you may yet see another sunrise upon your stones of ash and blood. Tonight, we prepare! In the morning, we move onto this new world!
[/center][/i][/u][/b][/color]
[right]”[/right]

As Chuunitrix spoke, her subjects did listen, and they did receive... adulation, jubilation, adoration, and understanding that they were of a higher, greater purpose. No longer confined to their city, alone, but the world at large. And, it was so very large. In service of their Hivequeen, they would explore it restlessly and ceaselessly; unless they were pulled into their proper service.

As the night waned, and Chuunitrix assembled five Exploration Teams of 20; 10 Survivors, 4 Sentries, 4 Proxies, and 2 Concreep Mixers. Each listed: Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, and Gamma. Each dispatched in the cardinal direction; Beta to the East, Delta to the West, Epsilon to the South, and Gamma to the North; Alpha was hers, and would move as she did.

The plan was simple: Scout and Settle. A night march of twenty miles, gathering information, supplies, and understanding of the layout of the land in all four directions, before settled to raise a forward base in the disguise of a fledgling village. Traptrixx had been an avid strategist, and Chuunitrixx would use the knowledge passed onto her.

Or, at least, attempt to.

In reality, the mind games we saw, theorized, and planned out weren’t promised to us. There was failure around all corners, and Chuunitrixx was gambling on none.

“[color=red][b]Rodi, I wish I knew...[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]if I’m doing this right...[/color]” Chuunitrixx says, standing on the steeple roof of the Chateau Gothika.

Within the space of twenty miles, the mimic scouts would come to find that setting up the fledgling village would prove a simple task in the midst of the night. The distance from the village that Kath and Ashara were sent to survey from any other civilizations in the area was easily over a few dozen miles and thus no resistance would be offered, save for the few wild beasts that would attack in the dark of night. But, miles away from prying eyes the mimics were free to supplant themselves in the countryside. In fact, each squad save for Gamma would encounter little to no difficulty in their search.

Beta’s eastern march would take them near the area of the village which would give them an idea of what a settlement of the world would probably look like, if emulated appropriately.

Delta’s western march would take them further over the mountains and along the coast, letting them feel the temperature gradually shift towards a slightly warmer climate. Despite this, there was little in the way of civilization along the shore, save for the occasional shipwrecked mass.

Epsilon’s southern march would take them along the mountain range that the Chateau now found itself a part of. The high mountain tops proved to be an excellent place from which to survey the entirety of the countryside. Settlement would be difficult atop the mountains, but the slopes contained enough resources to fashion them a suitable shelter. For now, at least.

Gamma would encounter the great obstacle of water, a sparkling sea covered in patches of ice to the North. Judging from the temperature and the boreal forests dotting the landscape, they were far to the North of this world. Far into the distance they could see the presence of a pristine continent of ice, a gargantuan landmass some hundreds of miles away that appeared as if a glittering diamond amongst the sapphire sea. Far across the ocean, however, they could see a gleaming castle that seemed to be sculpted of pure snow and ice, towering higher than any mountain they’d seen so far. Further examination would let them see a small city had grown around the tower, built of the same materials. 

For miles and miles, the day would be filled with [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu1UndnuC70]music[/url]; a grand symphony played at length from the sun’s rise to its set. Standing upon the steeple roof of the Chateau Gothika, its conductor and star vocalist: Chuunitrixx. Harmoniously, with her Exploration Team Alpha, the Hivequeen sang and sang; voice carrying grandly, and conversing with her other teams. 

Immediately, Beta would settle in; replicating what they saw. Delta would do likewise, but appropriate themselves abreast the wreckage for culture and material. Epsilon would meet their challenge, as Delta had theirs, and dig in to what they had. Gamma would settle more cautiously, and explore the iced-over sea when they’re firmer roots.

Once settled, one and all, Chuunitrixx would start to funnel resources to them; a village was more than ten, and their protection, while adequate for the wildlife, would do little against properly arms foes, if they case in mass -- a new village cried weak against Raiders.

Raiders would be the least of the survivor’s problems. Rain would come in halfway through the day, blanketing a large amount of the area surrounding Beta and Epsilon’s area. The bitter cold that Gamma faced was matched by the fierceness of the land itself. Kaldorna’s party should they arrive there would have found it a far more savage, hostile land blanketed in snow. Beasts of mass and fur, tusk and fang, savagery and might towered over the Gamma team. Safety lied in numbers, and by the end of the day, two had died from wounds delivered by the beasts; a Proxy and a Survivor. This place was certainly not safe, but it was the firmest foothold to the ice of the north one could gain. 

Epsilon would fare the best of all the teams, their destination being of fair temperament and more human contact than they could anticipate. Raiders weren’t present, but in the shadows of the brush they could feel themselves being watched as they made a clearing to start their village.

Chuunitrix would continue to sing and generate her resources. It was all she could think to do. She knew her plan wasn’t perfect, but the needed a foothold in their world that was under their control. It was her job to supply such a thing.

Even if she didn’t know how, beyond building territory.
[hr]
Collab with [@The Irish Tree]