Not an expert here but the word that comes screaming into my head seeing that is ‘rust’. Would the brine be easier to deal with solidified into salt? Even edible?.
He breaths heavily normally, the following line could be “What, what is a ‘laser’? What do you mean it’s like a lightsaber but it doesn’t really work like a sword and it just keeps going. You can only see the middle of it if it’s going through smoke or fog or something? Well the fucks the point of that? AND THE ONES YOU CAN SEE AT ALL DON’T CUT SHIT? WELL YOU KNOW WHAT THAT’S HORSESHIT.” Yet, heavy breathing would still be an appropriate caption.