And in the more peaceful city of Louisville, Jay Welch was introduced to Kevin Ilaria's best friend, his adjutant at Standiford Field.
Jay took a liking to Sub-Tribune Jason Rinaldi the moment he felt the fellow's firm grip.
"Jason is adjutant," Ilaria explained. "And one of the few 'field soldiers' who manages to get along with Caesar's Pretorian Prefect, Lamberti. How he does it, I don't know. Lamberti's absolutely unbearable."
"Prejudice. Middle-class prejudices," Rinaldi grinned. He was short and very dark with a lot of black hair.
Ilaria's left cheek cracked into a long dimple as he smiled. "He picks on me because I'm a serious psychologist."
Rinaldi laughed. "As a psychologist, Kevin, you're an excellent bridge player. As a soldier—"
"Just remember who's got three bars and who has two."
Rinaldi waved his hand and shrugged. "They pass 'em out to psych boys wholesale," he said, and ducked Ilaria's swing. "Slow reflexes, too," he added as he turned to go.
Ilaria stopped him at the door and murmured a few sentences.
Jay caught something about sabotage at Standiford. Rinaldi seemed to be attributing it to the Commanding Officer there.