KASHMIR VENNEMA
(Earth-12069)

Real Name: Kashmir "Kash" Vennema

Identity/Class: Extradimensional/Alternate Reality (Earth-12069) human technology user

Occupation: Interdimensional technology procurer, purchaser, and salesperson;
    former(?) director of Operations for the Damocles Research facility

Group Membership: Damocles Research, Vennema Multiversal

Affiliations: Archstone, Vincent Stegron

Enemies: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Symbiotes (including Symbiotes possessing Dire Wraith-tainted Saurians revived by Stegron)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly a Damocles Research Facility, near the White Sands missile range, San Andres mountains, New Mexico, Earth-616;
    formerly Vennema Multiversal, Earth-17121;
    formerly Earth-12069

First Appearance: Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (June, 2012)

Powers/Abilities: Kash does not have actual superhuman powers; however, she is highly intelligent (possibly genius level), charismatic, and calm under pressure. She has advanced skills in leadership and in speaking, providing sufficient information to reveal what information she wishes to share without telling the whole truth. She has sufficient understanding of science to direct Damocles Research. She is very goal-oriented and willing to manipulate or sacrifice others as needed towards those goals. Nonetheless, she is also very aware in her role in the hierarchy and that she was but an agent of the leader of Vennema Multiversal.

    While she generally employed others to fight for her, she was more than willing and able to engage in combat against even monstrous foes when indicated.

    She kept weapons hidden within various portions of her base and also kept at least one microscopic energy pistol on her person. She also possessed a certain supply of Pym Particles, sufficient to enlarge such a weapon as needed.

    She controlled an army of mercenary warriors, at least some of whom were aware of her connections to the larger Vennema Multiversal. She also had access to the advanced technology of the Damocles Research facility.

Height: Approximately 5'8" (based on her standing next to Hawkeye)
Weight: Approximately 135 lbs.
Eyes: Green (some panels look more brown)
Hair: Black
Distinguishing Features: She had a pentagon with triangles on three edges (the symbol of Vennema Multiversal; with all triangles being transparent, not solid/filled in) on her right wrist

History:
(Captain America and Iron Man#635 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Kashmir Vennema was recruited into Vennema Multiversal, an organization of Kashmir Vennemas across numerous universes, who obtained technology from one reality and sold it to another for profit, heedless of the damage to each reality.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (fb) - BTS) - As director of operations of Damocles Research, Kashmir oversaw the unearthing of multiple "dinosaur fossils" on Earth-616 over a period of years.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#630 (fb) - BTS / Captain America and Hawkeye#630 (fb) - BTS) - In an effort to restore the Saurians, aka the People, Stegron created a staff that allowed him to bond Symbiotes to the Saurian skeletons; however, the presence of the taint of the Dire Wraiths -- who had slaughtered the Saurians, contributed to these hybrids being malevolent creatures that captured human hosts with which for the Symbiotes to bond.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (fb) - BTS) <Three weeks before the main story> - Damocles Research was raided by Symbiotes bonded to Saurian skeletons, and security contractor Scott Samson was abducted.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (fb) - BTS)  - Damocles Research was raided again.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (fb) - BTS) <Four days before the main story> - Damocles Research was raided a third time; Samson was among the Saurian skeleton raiders, but was slain during the assault.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (fb) - BTS) - A group of environmentalists -- who were studying the indigenous bighorn sheep population -- was reported missing with the Damocles Research facility having been their last reported location

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (fb) - BTS) - Captain America and Hawkeye investigated the missing environmentalists. They encountered Damocles' security agents, which led to a battle due to "failure to communicate."

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629) - After Captain America and Hawkeye took down the security agents, Kashmir confronted them and introduced herself and noted they were trespassing. She cut off Captain America's introduction, noting that she had heard of him despite her isolated location. When Cap explained they were investigating the missing environmentalists, she told him she was aware of them, noting that those families were also there without proper authorization. She further explained that she and the security forces had been looking for the missing people when the security had encountered the heroes. Mentioning a potential lead on the missing civilians, Kashmir invited the heroes to Damocles' facility, insisting she accompany them in their Quinjet.
    Upon their arrival, Kash explained to them how Archstone was as interested in research and development as it was in security and military operations, that they possessed a very active scientific business unit, and that the US government contracted them to manage numerous facilities just like Damocles; suspecting they were walking into a trap, Hawkeye nonetheless found Kashmir quite enticing. She continued, noting that Damocles' charter there was the evaluation of hazardous materials, the development of new propulsion systems, and the advancement of space flight technologies; and that they had interested in multiple fields, including solar energy, cosmic emissions, and  thermal radiation -- they touched on all of the same research subjects as Project: PEGASUS, but had none of the recognition and 1/10 of the budget. She showed Cap and Hawkeye their dinosaur fossils, and she flirted with Cap after Hawkeye teased him, noting that she'd always thought relics had a kind of delicious appeal. She then introduced them to Dr. Henry Reese and showed them the remains of Scott Samson, sharing his history and the recent series of raids. Captain America questioned why -- if they'd been under assault for weeks -- they hadn't sought aid, but she noted that they considered themselves self sufficient. Hawkeye, in turn, wondered whether they were a bunch of mad scientists trying to weaponize dinosaurs, to which she responded, "if that was our goal, someone beat us to it."
    Kashmir then led the heroes to a storage room that butted up to a series of subterranean passages, noting that they had sealed it off, but that the creatures kept breaking though.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#629 - BTS / Captain America and Hawkeye#629 - BTS) - Cap and Hawkeye investigated the tunnels and were assaulted by the dinosaur skeleton-bonded Symbiotes. Captain America was eventually captured by the fossil-Symbiotes.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#630) - When Reese wondered where the Avengers were, Kash assured him it was nothing he need worry about, as they could take care of themselves. Reese further worried that they were nowhere near the completion of their project and the heroes could jeopardize everything; he further reminded her that their real employer would not be pleased. Kash, in turn, reminded him that he was paid to look after the specimen, and that he should do that and let her worry about the heroes. As she walked out, he tried to continue the discussion, but she told him she was too busy and walked out; almost instantly thereafter, however, the fossil Symbiote abandoned its host and took over Reese. Hearing Reese's scream, Kash turned to see what had happened; she commented that he had had one simple job before fleeing the creature. Rushing to a closed door, she used her keycard to open it, then obtained an energy blaster that she used to subdue or slay the creature. She apologized to the apparently deceased Reese, telling him he was never meant to be collateral damage, but --like he had said -- they couldn't disappoint the boss; she further noted that he had been getting too twitchy. Continuing her mock conversation, she further noted that this should be a fairly conclusive secondary test of the hybrid's resiliency: It seemed capable of surviving significant trauma with only a short period of dormancy, though its hosts would die for good.

(Captain America and Hawkeye#631) - Kashmir ordered her people to transport a Symbiote-bonded corpse (presumably Reese's) for further study. When one of her people noted that this might generate questions from anyone not on "the real payroll," Kashmir instructed them to tell the others that in light of the recent attacks, they were moving the remains to a secure location...and if that didn't work, she initially considered that they should put the others on the real payroll...and then changed her mind, telling her people to just eliminate anyone who had a problem with the explanation. When one of her men said, "You're the boss," she responded, "No...but the word of God...and the paychecks...pass from her to me to you."
    Just then, Captain America and Hawkeye, following encounters with Stegron and the Symbiotes bonded to Saurian skeletons, arrived back in Damocles base and told her to stop; Captain America asked where she was going, and Hawkeye noted that she looked like she was fleeing the scene of a the crime. She reminded them that their research was government sanctioned and that she was just following orders. When Captain America accused her of lying and asked whose orders she was following, she had her Archstone forces turn their guns on the heroes; telling the heroes she had neither the time nor the inclination to argue with them right now, she asked them not go get in their way. Before a fight could break out, however, the queen of the Symbiotes, having bonded to the Guardian (an immense cobra-like Saurian), smashed through a cavern wall and confronted them. Kashmir noted, "That is one big snake."

(Captain America and Hawkeye#632) - Captain America instructed Kash to get her men clear of the giant snake to avoid getting killed, after which she enlarged a previously microscopic gun, responding to Cap's query with, "Oh, come on, Captain. You didn't think the Avengers were the only ones with access to Pym Particles, did you?" When the Symbiote-possessed children of the environmentalists arrived and the Archstone forces began firing on them, Cap instructed Kash to tell her men to hold their fire as some of the creatures still had human hosts, but she told him that -- as they were being attacked by monstrous creatures -- they weren't in the mood to stand down. Stegron then arrived and attacked the Symbiote-creatures, vowing that the humans would not die because of what he had done. Kash questioned what their plan was, and Cap told Hawkeye to take Kash, evacuate the Quinjet, and then get clear, as he planned to ram the Quinjet down the Guardian-Symbiote. Before they could act, the Guardian-Symbiote snared the Quinjet in its coils, and Cap shattered a window through which he, Hawkeye, and Kash escaped. Despite landing roughly, Kash got up and shot a path through the Symbiote creatures through which she fled. Ultimately Stegron, Captain America, and Hawkeye freed the people from the Symbiotes and defeated/destroyed the Symbiotes bonded to Saurian or dinosaur skeletons.

    Later, as Stegron wandered into the Saurians' former caverns, lamenting his failure, Kash confronted him, noting that he could learn from his failure. She told him that her benefactor had resources that could be put at his disposal and -- as she showed him a vial of ??? (see comments)-- could make his dreams come true.

Captain America and Iron Man#633 - BTS) - Captain America arranged with Tony Stark to attend a weapons expo in Madripoor, hoping to track down Kash. Stark arranged for Cap to attend incognito as a Mr. Azud.

(Captain America and Iron Man#633 (fb) - BTS) - Stark picked up Kasmhir Vennema's name in discussion related to the weapons expo, though they were unaware this was Kashmir Vennema-12083.

 

 

Comments: Created by Cullen Bunn and Alessandro Vitti.

    While geography and real world history aren't really my strong-suits, you can Google "Kashmir" to see it is an Asian region incorporating different territories ruled by India, Pakistan, and China.

    I don't think it is actually stated/told what Kash had in the vial that she showed to Stegron at the end, but I'd guess it to be Symbiote DNA.

    These Kashmir Vennema profiles may be a bit heavy in detail and dialogue, but that's because I'm trying to give each counterpart some distinction in terms of behavior, speech patterns, etc.

    As best as we know, Kashmir-12069 is still at large

    What is up with the choice of her name? I think Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) says it best in Avengers Assemble#21: "What's a cashmere enema?"

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Kashmir Vennema-12069 should be distinguished from her various alternate reality counterparts:

Damocles Research has no KNOWN connection to:

images: (without ads)
Captain America and Hawkeye#629, pg. 5, panel 1 (full body, decent-size, semi-obliqued);
        pg. 12, panel 3 (full body, straight, distant);
    #630, pg. 10, panel 2 (shocked face);
        pg. 12, panel 4 (serious face)
    #632, pg, 2, panel 2 (enlarging gun);
        pg. 7, panel 4 (jumping with gun);
        pg. 20, panel 5 (tattoo and vial)

Appearances:
Captain America and Hawkeye#629 (June, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), John Denning (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Captain America and Hawkeye#630-631 (July, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), John Denning (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Captain America and Hawkeye#632 (August, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), John Denning (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)

Last updated: 05/21/15

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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