Star Blue Soldier

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The Hopi Indians are a tribe whose name means good, peaceful and wise. The Hopi reservation located in the southern end of the Black Mesa is called the Big Mountain. Their villages, called pueblos are built of mud and stone and situated on three Mesa tops, a Mesa being a small, isolated flat-top hill with three steep sides. The Hopi Indians believe their land to be sacred.

The Hopi reservation is entirely surrounded by the larger Navajo reservation, which occupied the areas between the mountains in eastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico. Being surrounded by the Navajo was a constant source of problems for the Hopi.

The Hopi Indians were friendly with the soldiers at Fort Defiance and often came to trade. It was from them the soldiers came to know about the ways and beliefs of the Indians in the area.

The soldiers learned the Indian nations believed in the Sky People and Star Warriors, who they referred to as Blues. They prayed to the Star Warriors and believed they descended from the sky to give them knowledge and teach them various skills. Their descriptions of the Sky People and the Star Warriors revealed them to be of small stature, with clear grayish skin and large almond-shaped eyes.

The name of the god the Hopi prayed to was Masan, derived from the Hopi word mas, meaning gray. The Hopi believed that through the Sky People they could see their future—and they knew it was not favorable. One of their prophecies was “Today’s red man is white, and tomorrow’s white man is green.”

The Hopis’ conflict with the warlike Navajos was escalating. In 1850, seven Hopi leaders had made a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to meet with the agent of Indian Affairs and to request help from the United States government. They wanted protection from the Navajo, who were an Apachean-language tribe. The government had complied and, a year later, had built Fort Defiance to deal with any threats from the Navajos against the Hopi. This angered the Navajo, as the forts built on valuable grazing land, which they could no longer use. For the next few years, the regiments had engaged in campaigns against both the Navajo and Apache. The Hopi, however, had remained friendly with the soldiers and would, from time to time, come to Fort Defiance to trade otter, beaver, fox fur pelts, deer skins, and baskets of corn.

Three days after Killian had been found by the creek, a few Hopi Indians came to the fort. While the trading was going on, the Hopi medicine man stood staring at the infirmary. Then he walked over and entered the small building. Three soldiers are lying in the beds. The medicine man walked past a soldier with a broken leg and another with bandages around his head before stopping next to Killian’s bed and staring down at him. He bowed and quietly began a sacred dance. Dr. Earle watched for a few moments, and then went over to the medicine man. Killian had drawn back and was staring at the Indian with alarm.

Dr. Earle held up his hands and ordered the medicine man to stop dancing. He told the Indian he needed to leave, as Killian was a sick man. The Indian stared at the doctor.

“Star Warrior, Man of Sky People. A Blue, a Blue,” he repeated over and over while being ushered out of the infirmary.

Dr. Earle had no idea why the medicine man had behaved in that manner. Killian, however, recognized the dance like the one he and his friend Tom Muldoon had seen being performed at the Indian encampment when the silvery bird was landing. He remembered the fight with the Indians, and the bluish blood spilling on his face and the Indian vanishing. He lay back, thinking, what had happened after that encounter? How much time had passed? Had he joined the Army? Was he a soldier? Did he have amnesia like the doctor said?

Killian stared at the ceiling as he contemplated telling them about seeing the big bird with metal skin and the Indian bleeding bluish blood before changing form and disappearing. He decided against it. They’d think I was insane. They’d lock me up, and I’d never get out of here. No, it’s best to be a soldier like they say I am and do what they tell me to do. I won’t tell them my real name is Killian Kilkenny. I’ll be Killian Muldoon.

Days later, Dr. Earle released Killian from the infirmary and put on light duty.

Near the end of April, Killian’s assigned to a reconnaissance patrol with Lieutenant Liddle. The lieutenant protested, but the captain felt Killian needed to get out of the post, that it might do him some good, maybe even help him to remember his past in the military.

Later the following morning, Lieutenant Liddle’s patrol was about four miles from Fort Defiance when they found themselves being harassed by six Navajos on horseback. The Indians circled the troop, hollered and waved their weapons in a threatening manner. Then they rode off, riding toward the woods. Killian and the other troopers chased after them, but as Killian entered the woods, the Indian he’s chasing turned back and leaped on him. The two men tumbled off their horses to the ground. As they rolled on the ground the Indian got on top of Killian; he raised his knife but didn’t strike.

“Why you chase me?” he yelled.

Killian glared up at the angry Navajo. Then he saw his bare arms which were holding back his assailant. He was no longer wearing his blue uniform. He looked down at his painted chest. He was an Indian. He let go of his attacker, and the Navajo stood up.

“Are you a crazy Navajo?” the other screamed.

Killian staggered to his feet. He looked at himself.

“You talk!” the other demanded. “Why you chase me?”

Killian didn’t know what to say.

The Indian gave him a shove. “You talk!”

“I’m sick. I don’t know what I’m doing,” he mumbled.

“You need to stay at camp. Not go with us when we attack the fort in two days!”

The angry Navajo got up on his pony and rode off.

Killian continued to stare at his body. What’s happening to me? He slowly mounted his pony and started to ride. He didn’t know where he was going. Then he heard the 1st Cavalry bugler blowing assembly. He looked out from the woods and saw the other troopers re-gathering in the open. As Killian rode along the forest edge, he realized he was changing again, this time from an Indian back to a trooper. He stopped and dismounted. His body was shaking, and he threw up. He leaned against his horse. What’s going on? Have I gone mad? His mind raced back to when he had killed the Indian and the silver blue fluid that had spewed into his eyes and mouth. Clumsily he took out his knife and slashes his hand. The liquid, which came out was not normal red blood. It was a silvery reddish-blue color. Even as he stared at the cut, it began to heal.

Killian felt weak and dizzy. He had to hold onto his saddle to keep from falling. Then he fainted.

He didn’t know how long he was out and was only dimly conscious of the other troopers as they rode up, and found him lying on the ground.

“Corporal, see to trooper Muldoon,” shouted Lieutenant Liddle.

Killian struggled to focus as the corporal knelt over him.

“Sir, he’s coming to, sir, but he’s…”

“He’s what, Corporal?”

“He’s kind of a bluish color, sir.”

“Is he choking on something, Corporal?”

“No, sir, he’s not choking, and now he’s beginning to get back to his normal color.”

The corporal and the other Trooper helped Killian to his feet.

“Are you alright, Muldoon?” asked Lieutenant Liddle.

Killian couldn’t answer.

“Trooper, are you alright?” the lieutenant repeated, louder.

“Yes sir, I’m fine now,” he managed to reply.

“Very well, mount up,” ordered the lieutenant.

The corporal helped Killian mount his horse, and the troop headed back to Fort Defiance.

That night Killian couldn’t get to sleep. He kept thinking about the color of his blood, and what the Indian had said about attacking the fort. He knew he needed to tell the captain about the attack. But, he also realized the captain would think him insane if he told the truth about how he found out. Killian mulled it over and over in his mind, and finally made up a story he could tell. He felt he needed to take the chance that the captain would believe him.

The next morning, after breakfast, he told the sergeant it was important he sees the captain. The sergeant asked him what it was about, but Killian wouldn’t say. He only said it was imperative. The sergeant informed him he needed to talk to Lieutenant Liddle first. Killian didn’t want to discuss it with the lieutenant, as he knew the lieutenant didn’t like him. But it went both ways; Killian thought that Lieutenant Hiram Liddle was a narcissistic, by-the-book officer. However, this was too important, so Killian confided to the lieutenant what he had heard in the woods. Lieutenant Liddle didn’t believe his preposterous story, but to be on the safe side, he escorted Killian to Captain Ryan’s office. The lieutenant apparently expected Killian to make an ass of himself in front of the senior officer. He had Killian wait outside the office while he went in to inform the captain why the trooper wanted to see him.

“Captain, trooper Muldoon wants to tell you something that he says he overheard. He’s saying an Indian said they’re going to attack the fort. I don’t put much stock in it, sir. There’s something very strange about Muldoon. I have my doubts that he’s even a trooper.”

“If he’s not a trooper, then who is he, Lieutenant?”

“I don’t know, maybe a spy for the Indians, Captain.”

“I’ll admit there’s something unusual about him, and no record of his being in the military, but a spy? I think that might be a bit far-fetched, Lieutenant.”

“That may be, sir, but I don’t like him around my men or me.”

The captain thought for a moment. “I understand, Lieutenant. Alright, bring Trooper Muldoon in. I’ll listen to what he has to say.”

The lieutenant opened the door for Killian to enter the captain’s office. He came in and stood in front of the captain’s desk.

“The lieutenant says you want to tell me what you’ve overheard, Trooper Muldoon.”

“Yes sir. The Navajos are going to attack the fort tomorrow, Captain.”

“We’ve heard that kind of scuttlebutt before. What makes you think the Indians are going to attack?”

“Captain, as you know, Lieutenant Liddle’s patrol was harassed yesterday by a few Navajos, and some of us made chase. I followed an Indian into the woods but lost him. I stopped and was listening quietly for any movement when I heard some of them laughing and talking. They thought it funny, as they had only pretended to attack us. They said it was done to fool us into not expecting a real attack, on the fort, in two days, which will be tomorrow, sir.”

Captain Ryan gazed at Killian. “You’re telling me you overheard this?”

“Yes sir.”

“Do you speak their language, trooper Muldoon?”

“Yes sir.”

The officers exchanged glances.

“When did you learn to speak Apache, the language of the Navajos?”

“I don’t remember, Captain. But I swear to you it’s the truth. I understood what the Indians were saying.”

“This amnesia thing of yours is confounding,” said Captain Ryan. He looked at the lieutenant. “We can’t take a chance that what he says isn’t true. Cancel all patrols tomorrow. Keep everyone inside the fort, but have the everyday routine be normal. If the Indians are going to attack we don’t want to alert them that we know.”

“Captain, this man has been sick and has amnesia, how can you trust his preposterous story about an attack, and his knowing their language?”

“Lieutenant, I know your concern, but the Navajo are fierce, intelligent, and warlike. They’re also impudent, troublesome and dangerous. It won’t hurt to play it safe for one day. I’d hate not to take precautions, and find out later what the trooper here says is true.”

Lieutenant Liddle gave Killian a disgusted look. “I’ll give the orders, Captain.”

He and Killian saluted and left the captain’s office.

“This is going to be your ass, trooper,” the lieutenant growled. “You’re causing us a lot of trouble.”

“If I didn’t tell the captain, and the Navajos attacked, many of us would die. Wouldn’t you rather be on the safe side, Lieutenant?”

“Damn you, Muldoon.”

Early the following morning, the 1st Cavalry Company is assembled in the center of the buildings, which comprised Fort Defiance. A short time later, the sentries reported seeing over a thousand Navajo Indians led by Chief Manuelito riding toward them.

The Navajos attacked from all four sides but were forced back by the one-hundred and fifty-man Company. The Indians attacked a second time and nearly succeeded in overrunning the garrison. The fighting was fierce.

A tall, powerfully built Indian singled out Killian and rushed at him, knife in hand. He slashed the blade at Killian, who grabbed the man, and they wrestled to the ground. The knife sliced a deep cut into Killian’s shoulder, but he held off the Navajo and turned the knife around before sinking it into the Indian’s side. They rolled on the ground, separated, then stood up, and stared at one another. The Navajo still had the bloody knife in his hand. He watched, fascinated, as Killian’s wounded shoulder began to heal. When Killian stepped back, he saw that the gash on the Indian’s side was also rapidly healing.

The Navajo’s eyes widened as he glared at Killian. “It is true then, what we have heard. You are a Star Blue.” He raised his knife and shouted. “I am Lupan, a Blue Warrior, and one day I will kill you with fire, Taglito Silaada.”

Then he turned and ran to join the other retreating Indians, who were abandoning the fight at the order of Chief Manuelito.

Killian looked down at his shoulder. It ached, but somehow it was healing. He thought about what the Navajo had called him. Taglito Silaada, it was Navajo for red-bearded soldier. He now knew he had an Indian name, as well as a true enemy in Lupan, the grey fox. He wondered what Lupan had meant when he said he’d kill him with fire.

That morning the Navajos took more than twenty dead and many wounded back to their camp. Only one, 1st Cavalry Trooper had been killed and only a few wounded.

The following day, Captain Ryan congratulated the Troopers on a fight well done, and commended Killian Muldoon, promoting him to a warrant over grade, which was one rank higher than common private. The captain also elevated Killian to a specialist in cavalry reconnaissance. Lieutenant Hiram Liddle appeared equally proud they had repelled the Indians. But, he was apparently seething over the promotion awarded to Killian, who, in his eyes was a weird misfit.