[ TEXT + PHOTO ]

[alterplex]

[ Brevity is a virtue of Venom's: he doesn't mince words when he throws his very concise, very curt statement up onto the network, staying pragmatic for the sake of time. It's a bit of a deviation from his standard to rely on text for communication, but he's in a bit of a bind right now. ]

Don't wander near West Leslie’s Fish Market and Creatatorium. It's one tourist trap you're gonna want to avoid.

[ He's absolutely not going to say that something fishy is going on because that pun is terrible, but it's implied. Heavily.

Actually, you know what, a picture is worth a thousand words: he sends a photo attachment approximating the area he's stumbled into, which he figures should speak for itself. A dim room with people strapped onto a bed, hooked up to suspicious-looking fluids; not exactly a vote of confidence cast in favor of this colony. ]

Try to exercise discretion.


(( OOC: this is a post to let people know about this plot right here! feel free to ask him about deets (he's still there, in this weird fishroom, texting and trying to figure out a gameplan), and feel free to drop in here to give him backup!

if you want to plot anything, go ahead and PM me or PP me at deuil as well! depending on what happens here, i'll be setting up a starter on the event log post— hit me up with anything and everything, peeps, i'm def here for all your input! ♥ ))

Comments

private;

[deconstruct]

[ so much of this planet is already reminding him so disgustingly of home, but looking at that photo (strapped to a medical cot, tubes and IVs everywhere, stripped down and helpless) is like a punch in the gut, soaring him back to where and what he'd come from in his mind.

for a long moment, he's numbly staring at that photo, remembering the shrill fear, the pain, the despair. there's no place worse in hapsburg than those fucking tables, and it makes his stomach turn knowing exactly what those people are experiencing. ]

what's the security like?

[ because yeah, sorry, he's ignoring the 'don't wander near/you're gonna want to avoid' bits. the overlords must die. ]

[alterplex]

[ Venom is entirely unsurprised when he glances down at his MID and finds that this incoming message is from Andyr— not because he expects that the kid is eager to see fish, but because he still remembers the dispassionate artifice that'd been anchored into the kid's spine.

Emotions aside, first things first. ]

Before you start running here, remember what I just said about discretion.

[ Read: 'there's a procedure to go through before you just rush into the murder bit'. ]

text

[cadeuces]

Ahab, are you all right?

If you think there's a chance— I can be there. I can help.

[ Really, she shouldn't say that so definitively— this is an alien planet after all. But she can do her best. It wouldn't be the first time she's bulled into unknown variables and situations. ]

[alterplex]

I'm not the one that needs medical attention.

But I'm gonna need a medic on hand.

[ If she thought he was curt in person, here he is, even more brief in text. ]

text

[mylawn]

Let me know if you want backup.

-> private;

[alterplex]

I might need it. It'll take too long to try to carry everyone out alone.

Private

[justice_from_above]

Noted

[That picture, though; it cuts her down to her core and is not something she will soon forget. The thought of all those people ... no thought goes into what she types back; only a deeply instinctive duty.]

Just tell me how I can help.

[alterplex]

[ He isn't even remotely surprised that Pharah's extended her help, being as honor-bound as he assumes her to be from the few interactions that they've had. Her intentions have always been remarkably upstanding, so he doesn't doubt the sincerity with which she offers a hand. ]

There might be some heavy lifting that needs doing.

video into text;

[carltoaction]

[Carl was just watching the network to see what's what, but when that photo attachment appears his finger literally slips and the video feed turns on. He fumbles around to gain his composure and go along with it, though. Video quickly changes to text to avoid sharing his many "WTH"-faces.]

is this some sort of sick joke?

[alterplex]

[ Venom glances at the incoming video feed, and notices that the person on the other side is... young. Taken aback, which is to be expected.

But the visual quickly cuts off and is replaced with text, to which Venom responds with a quick: ]

If that's what you want to believe. Just don't go near the place.

text

[saveyourserpent]

Lovely.

[Kind of reminds him of something Mantis showed him, once, years and years ago.]

Hell of a thing to stumble across. Is this a normal thing around here?

[Someone's been too busy doing the Sports and wild things that came along with that to get too much info on the culture.]

[alterplex]

[ Listen, Venom respects the fact that Liquid is engaging in healthy (citation needed) sports activities if it means he's not getting hooked up to questionable fish-mutation beds. ]

Can't say. Wasn't exactly looking for this.

[ He wasn't actually looking to have a fun time in fishland, either, but this is still unexpected for him. ]

video

[liberaltus]

Maker's breath, just when you think you've seen everything.

[And Dorian has seen a great deal, but this is...disturbing, which is why he sniffs his disapproval at the picture.]

[alterplex]

[ Venom would like to answer in voice, but his relative need to stay discreet sends his reply along in text: curt, but with a level of understanding. ]

Hell of a wake-up call. Probably a good idea to stay away.

private; text

[fingerstripes]

And here I thought it was the docks that smelled fishy.

[ Never fear Dick Grayson is here to pick up your slack there, Venom. ]

I happen to specialize in discretion.

[alterplex]

[ come on Dick you're killing him here

But the fact of the matter is that, as much as Venom prefers to work solo on a majority of his missions, he needs some backup— and Dick is a sensible, levelheaded candidate.

Despite his puns. ]

What kind of discretion?

[procedures]

[ Already he can feel himself turning to seek out a couple people - wondering if he can shield them from the transmission. Wondering if he should. ]

Duly noted.

Any actual fish there, or was that just cheekiness in the name?

[alterplex]

[ Publicizing his affairs isn't usually an option that Venom seeks, but it felt necessary given their current situation and the debacle of their last planet; communication seems to be key here, after all. ]

Actual fish, and ones that look vaguely humanoid.

You can probably fill in the blanks on that second category.

Text

[harderfasterwrecker]

ewwwww

organics

why do organics have such a thing about fluids

what is even happening here

[alterplex]

I'm working it out.

In the meantime, understanding isn't a prerequisite to avoiding.

text;

[buttmurdered]

[that is one disturbing picture]

Are you planning on going back there?

[alterplex]

Still here.

[ Is his brief reply, meaning that he's. Still standing in that terror room, trying to think while a whole slew of half-prone people settle in their misery. ]

video;

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse's pale face up close on the screen, dripping wet, with wide, horrified, purple eyes. ]

What the fuck--!

[ At least he manages to hiss this quietly, not exclaim loudly in horror. ]

[alterplex]

[ The video rolls in, and as much as the reaction is something Venom expects from Jesse (sorry man), the incongruous features on that familiar face are surprising.

Meaning, what the hell Jesse ]

Could say the same about you.

[ Translation, because text doesn't even begin to convey half of this: what did you do to yourself????? ]

[goodluckkobra]

tell me you didn't just fuckin leave them there

[ He feels sick looking at it, even if it's not as shocking as he wishes it was. There's something about seeing people who are truly helpless that gets him into his shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later mode in about two seconds flat and he's already planning to offer help if it's needed. ]

[alterplex]

[ Shoot-first-ask-later is decidedly not ideal in this case, but Venom can appreciate that that would be the gut reaction; empathy isn't unimportant, after all. ]

No. I'm still here.

[ Meaning he's still crouched in the dark, scoping out a plan. ]