Project Venom #Watty's2016

Proposal

Before the beginning of 2016, you would not have caught me dead saying I wanted to join the military. It was being gutted to fund bullshit like welfare and food stamps as well as the politicians pet projects or just going into their pockets. Then you had the bleeding heart liberal moon bats who had the gal to say America spending money on the military was offensive, they even went so far as to call a rail gun, which is nothing more than a giant magnet and something I could build in my garage, offensive. My buddy Taro was still trying to convince me to go, for reasons I understand now. Look at where I am now though. Just a few months ago, my days were spent either under the Civic or at my PC, now, I had three of the things I'd always wanted, A Supra powered by 12 perfect, beautiful gas guzzling Toyota built cylinders with a manual behind it, I was about as high up in the army as I could go and, amazingly, I had some how gotten to the girl of my dreams. Of all the shit I had been through since June, this night was an uncontested winner for most awesome.

The drive back to Area 29 was done mostly in the dark. The small black box was barely visible in the glow of the Supra's interior. There wasn't anyway my purchase had gone under the radar, Morningstar had to have known about it and I assumed that he'd bee waiting for me when I got back, sure enough he was. As I parked the Supra and stepped out, I noticed him standing by the Civic.

"You spent 25 thousand dollars on what?", he asked.

"You better keep it a secret if I tell you", I told him, "General or not, if you blab and it leaks out, you and I will never be on good terms again and I mean that."

Morningstar nodded. I reached into my coat pocket and pulled the box out, showing him the ring.

"Umm", Morningstar said.

"I'm gonna propose to Nina", I said.

He looked up, seeming shocked, "you can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious", I said, "there's a war coming and if I don't do this now, I may never get the chance and that would destroy me."

"I think your making a mistake Ace", Morningstar said.

"I don't", I said, "I'd do it even if I knew it would kill me afterwords."

He sighed, "I really don't want you to make the same mistake I did. I rushed into my marriage, until Mercury got hurt, my wife and I had been divorced."

"Don't", I said, "try to talk me down. It's not gonna happen. The only reason I won't do it is if she tells me no."

Morningstar handed me the box back, "if you want it that badly, then go for it."

"Thanks Alex", I said closing the box back up.

"Everyone's at dinner", Morningstar said.

"Menu?", I asked.

"Home style Mac and Cheese and popcorn Chicken", Morningstar said, "your Mom made it."

"Come again?", I asked as Morningstar and I left the hangar. We walked across the baked sand of 29 to the dome. The crickets were being extra loud tonight and a few rattlesnakes slithered across our path.

"Your parent's came back to 29", Morningstar said, "your Dad wants to join the project."

"He does?", I asked.

"Yeah", Morningstar said, "I told him I'd only hand him a uniform if you approved though."

"You should have handed him one on the spot", I said, "we need him here."

"Be warned as well", Morningstar said, "Nina's parents are here too."

"Gonna try and talk me down aren't you?", I asked as we entered the dome.