2nd day, expansion week, standard year 24936
"Padawan...I've just heard from Vione. Tomorrow...Dilan will be expelled in a formal ceremony. We are expected to attend."
*****
3rd day, expansion week, standard year 24936
We went to the ceremony.
Me, my Master, Thea and Tahl. Me and Tahl were right at the front, staring up at the elevated platform. No-one was talking; it was all whispers.
"It's like an execution," Tahl whispered.
Dilan came out. He was accompanied by Vione, Yoda, and Mapru. Mapru had his hand on Dilan's shoulder...and when they reached the middle of the stage he let go and pushed him to the ground.
Vione spread her arms and called to the crowd. It was a large crowd. It was like the whole Temple was there...and they probably were. This was the same room they used for Knightings....I stared up at the ceiling, wanted to get Vione's yelling to us out of my head. The ceilings was decorated with names. The names of every Jedi Padawan who had become a Knight...
"Dilan!" Vione yelled in a horrible voice. "Do you confess that you, frequently, have behaved in a manner unbecoming for a Jedi? Do you confess that you have disobeyed your Master's teachings? That you have tormented your fellow students of the Force? Do you confess?"
All eyes were on him. I tried to look away.
"Yes," he muttered.
Vulna chose that moment to appear behind us.
"I've been looking for you.," he whispered.
"Come to try and kill us for this?" Tahl whispered furiously.
"No! I swear...look, it's a damn good thing Dilan's going...."
Then he fell silent, because Vione was looking at us.
"And you, Kanak Dooku, have you witnessed Dilan Prece disobeying the Code, many times?"
"I have," he yelled. I shivered.
"Padawans Jinn and Wildstar, have you also?"
Tahl glanced at me. "We have." we said as one.
Vione spun back around to face Dilan and Mapru. "Tilmar Mapru - do what you must."
Mapru pulled a knife from his belt, and walked towards Dilan. That was the moment I thought of Dilan as 'Mapru's Padawan' instead of 'Dilan.'
Mapru knelt next to him, put a hand on his shoulder....I felt my stomach backflip...and then he slashed his braid off with the knife, let it drop to the floor, and stood up.
He was shaking.
So was I, a little.
Vione looked down at Dilan, and said only a few words.
"Your lightsabre."
Dilan reached into his belt, plucked it out and handed it over.
"You are forbidden any contact with your Master. You will go to the Temple door, and you will leave, and you will not look back."
He got up and started walking to the door. Everyone watched in silence. Some were angry and some were sorry. Tahl squeezed my hand. For the first time I sort of understood how much she loved me.
Dilan reached the door. He was alone. Mapru was on the platform still, staring angrily into nothing. Dilan raised a hand to open the door, which looked so much bigger than he was...
...and then he looked back. At me. And I'd never seen a more hateful expression. Never.
Then he opened the door and stepped out. And what he was stepping out into didn't look in the least like the Coruscant I grew up in.
Then he was gone.
*****
25th day, 4th month, standrad year 24936
It was Vulna's birthday today. I don't know how it happened, since Tahl hasn't been happy with him as late, but we wound up in his room, discussing recent events.
"I swear," he said with wide eyes that didn't suit him. "I'm glad you got Dilan expelled. Glad. I hated him."
"Then why..." Tahl said with exasperation, but Vulna cut her off. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. For everything I did when he was around. He..."
"...had you under his mind control," Tahl said skeptically.
"Sort of."
"Of course."
He changed the subject. "I am glad he's gone. I'm grateful to you and your Masters. And I'm sorry for what I did in the fight...but I really did just want to protect you. I hope we can be friends...proper friends."
I noticed suddenly that he looked older. Taller. Different somehow. Then he sort of shrugged and went to the door. He was gone too before I could blink. And he didn't look back.