The Chameleon Soldier: NOW AS AN ALIEN BLUE HE CANNOT DIE. by D.B. Silvis Page A

sent overseas. He often thought about his horse, Blaze, whom he had left behind, and wondered if he was being taken care of by the man who had bought him. When an enemy bullet struck his leg Kipling had cursed his bad luck. However, while lying in the hospital bed he’d often smiled when thinking of running for political office as a wounded veteran.
    After the war, when Kipling Smith went back to El Paso, Texas, he found his mount had been well cared for, and was in excellent condition; Blaze had clearly been in good hands with Killian Kilkenny and the Freemans.
    Kipling had raised the horse from a colt. He was a fine animal from good stock, a beautiful strawberry roan standing fifteen and a half hands high. Blaze had been a gift from his grandfather after he graduated from college.
    When Kipling had first arrived at the Kilkenny Ranch he had planned to buy a rig, pick up Blaze, and drive back to his parents’ home in Virginia. It hadn’t been in his mind to stay at Killian’s ranch. However, a strange thing had happened. He found he’d met a man whom he liked, and who intrigued him. Of course, at the time, he had no idea what an unusual man Killian Kilkenny was or that he would change Kipling’s life forever. If it hadn’t been for Kipling’s driving political ambitions he would never have left the ranch, especially after the night he’d learned the amazing truth about his new friend.
    The day he loaded Blaze into a small horse van and headed his Ford pickup east toward Virginia was one of the most difficult days of his life. Kipling felt as if he had become part of the Killian and Freeman family. He had loved living on the ranch, with all the excitement and camaraderie. He had wanted to be part of what Killian was doing. He was awed by what Killian had been able to accomplish, and by what he planned to do in the future. However, he knew he had to move on with his life. He needed to be with his real family back in Virginia. In 1948, when Kipling Smith left the KF Dude Ranch, he had only one goal in mind; he wanted to be a congressman. He wasn’t happy with many of the decisions being made in Washington, D.C. Kipling felt he could help make changes.
    When he arrived home Kip knew he’d made the right choice. It was good to be with his parents, his grandfather and friends. It wasn’t long before his family, and their influential friends got behind his effort to become a congressman in the state of Virginia. His cause was aided greatly by his family’s money, and the funds his friends helped him raise. The fact he was a wounded captain also enhanced his popularity. Kip defeated his opponent by a wide margin, and became one of the youngest men to serve in congress.
    Between 1950 and 1953 Kip had lost touch with Killian. At first, he had been busy with his family and the rigors of the election. Then he became bogged down with the unfamiliar work of his new position as a congressman. When he finally got around to calling Killian, the Freemans informed him that Killian had once again enlisted, and was in Korea fighting with the 1st Cavalry Regiment.
    Over the next few months, he kept thinking about his friend. Knowing about his unusual capabilities, he began to seek out committees which dealt with military tactics and espionage. Kip knew Killian to be a dedicated man, who wanted to serve his country. However, he felt Killian’s almost supernatural talents weren’t being used to their full potential. He needed to be guided into a position where he could keep his being a Blue a secret, but could also use his abilities to their fullest. Kip had set a goal, to learn all he could about the Special Forces and covert operations.
    In his second year as a congressman, Kip was put on an Armed Forces committee. The following year he learned more and more about the various divisions of the Army, and the intelligence network. In 1947 President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which realigned and reorganized the