Keo made it back to the mess hall as his company marched in from the training ranges. He quietly filled into his place in the core formation and followed the line into the mess hall without making a fuss about any special privileges.
Keo sat with some of the trainees from fourth core and said little, taking in what it was like to be an ordinary trainee for the first time. He kept an eye out for Crystal but never saw her enter or exit the mess hall. With his crutch under his arm, he worked his way to the back door and dropped his plate on a table on his way out.
Core leader Spinebeck stood in the center of the walkway directly out the door, talking with the core leader of the second core. She looked up as Keo approached and with mild surprise, said, "Oh. Hello, Trainee Noshahne." She turned back to her conversation.