Chapter 3: Lost and Foundlings

Andrew jerked up from where he had been resting. His breathing was hard and he was sweating. He looked around and noticed he was in a cave, he saw Tom and Owen sitting next to a fire. He looked past the fire and saw the mouth of the cave. All he saw was snow. 'Why is it snowing? Where are we? All I remember last is a bright light.' he thought.

"Ah, Kid is up." Owen said to Tom.

"I think I have short-term memory loss cause I don't remember us deciding to go camping." said Andrew, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "Last thing I remember was us in space."

"Well, your memory is fine. We didn't go camping." explained Tom.

"So then where are we?" asked Kid. He walked closer to the fire that both Tom and Owen sat by. He looked at the small entrance of the cave. He saw some trees in the distance and he heard the wind howling.

"Russia!" cheered Owen.

"We can't be in Russia." said Kid, "Wait, are we?"

"Actually, he may not be wrong. I have no idea where we are and judging by the outside, it is on the table." said Tom.

"So I am guessing the others are searching the crash?" asked Kid.

Owen gave a look at Tom and Tom just shook his head. This went unnoticed by Kid.

"What?" asked Kid, "What are you not telling me?"

Owen looked away from Kid avoiding the question. Tom got up and walked to the mouth of the cave and sighed. He was trying to avoid Andrew in general. Something was haunting them and Andrew had a feeling it had to with the others.

Owen poked the fire with a stick, sighed and looked up at Kid. "There was no crash, Kid. I woke up in the snow and…" He looked back at the fire not finishing his sentence.

"And what?" Kid asked with some concern in his voice. "Where are the others?"

"And that we called, we searched, we did everything we could but…" sighed Tom. He hit the cave wall in frustration. "They are gone. I am sorry, Andrew. Owen woke up first and he said there was only you and me! No crash, no ship, no one else… just us."

Andrew leaned against the cave in shock, holding his arms as if he was freezing. Though the feeling he felt wasn't because he was freezing. It was because all his friends, his brother were gone. Tom came over and sat next to him as Andrew started to cry. He put his arm around the 10 year old boy, to comfort him.

Owen moved to the other side of Andrew. Through the tears Andrew saw Owen, he too was tearing up. Owen didn't try to comfort Andrew, he wasn't very good at social interactions. In fact he was even surprised he had friends. But now more than half of them are gone. 'No missing' thought Owen with a little optimism.

"Kid, they aren't gone." stated Owen bluntly. "They are just... missing."

"Owen, don't. Not now." commanded Tom, still holding Kid.

"Think about it." continued Owen. "There was no crash. We couldn't even find the ship, Tommy. They could be very much alive. We just need to find them." He was now standing up with a determined look on his face. "And I will do everything in my power to find them."

Suddenly the small cave began to shake. Dust started to fall from the ceiling and small pebbles on the ground started to vibrate. "What is going on?" asked Kid as he wiped the tears from his face.

"I don't know." answered Tom. He too was standing up and had his arm above his head.

"Look!" declared Owen. he was pointing to the entrance of the cave. The three walked closer to it and saw a herd of deer like creatures running past them.

"What are those?" stated Tom in awe.

Andrew had seen these creatures before but only he didn't believe it. He had seen these creatures on TV, On Star Wars. 'Impossible.' he thought. As the herd passed, a new sound filled the ears of the comrades. A sound Andrew knew all too well. It was the sound of speeder bikes. The sound grew larger and Andrew could see a dust trail in the distance, being created by four speeders.

"Quick hide." ordered Tom as the speeders got closer.

The three ran back into the cave and put out the fire. They hid behind some of the big rocks in the cave. Tom carefully peeked from his hiding spot and saw as the speeders drove by. Though one slowed down and stopped in front of the cave. The rider looked into the cave only for a moment, but quickly went to regroup with his squad. Tom had ducked his head down before the rider could see him. Though Tom got a good glance at the rider and he couldn't believe what he had seen.

"Well, what did he look like?" asked Kid

"It's impossible. How?" said Tom out loud, not answering Kid's question. "Tom, who was it?" asked Kid again. "It may help me understand where we are?"

"He looked like a Mandalorian." answered Tom.

"That's crazy. You must be imagining things Tommy." said Owen

"I know where we are." Kid said abruptly, "We must be on Krownest."

"Crow-wha?" asked a confused Owen.

"Krownest. A mandalorian colony." answered Andrew.

"Alright, now this is just crazy. Impossible for that matter. We can't just assume where we are just by the look of some guy's clothes." said Tom. He was getting a little frustrated at their current situation.

"Then what about the Speeder Bikes and those animals?" argued Kid, "Face it, Tom, we are in Star Wars." Though he wasn't entirely sure if this wasn't his imagination.

"It's impossible. That is fake and we are real." Tom fired back.

"So we are not in russia?" asked Owen, not fully understanding what was going on.

"That's it." exclaimed Kid, throwing his hands in the air. He went over to his bag, which was up against the wall of the cave. He noticed it only had one strap on it. The other had been torn off. Nonetheless he grabbed it and walked to the entrance of the cave. He stopped before he went outside. "I am going to follow them."

"No you're not. You are staying right here." yelled Tom.

"Stay here and starve?" argued Kid.

"Uh, Tommy, he does have a point. We don't have any food or water." stated Owen.

"Thanks for the backup, Owen." Tom said sarcastically.

"What? Kid is right. We have a better chance of survival if we follow whoever they are." replied Owen.

"Ugh, fine." sighed Tom. "Kid go on ahead Owen and I will catch up." Andrew ran out of the cave and followed the tracks of the animals.

Tom turned to Owen and out his hand on his shoulder. "Owen, what you did earlier… don't do that." sighed Tom, "Don't give him hope."

"Tom, it is a possible truth." stated Owen.

"BUT JUST… don't. I have to protect him, Owen. I have this feeling like I have been given a burden to protect him. I don't want to see him die inside again, knowing that they are gone." yelled Tom.

"But-" Owen started but was cut off by Tom.

"Please, for his sake."

"I'll stop, Tommy, but promise me this. You can't protect him forever. Kid needs to deal with this on his own. So promise me that you won't get in his way."

"Get in his way for what?"

"You will know when the time comes." answered Owen as he walked out the cave to catch up to Andrew.

Tom was confused at what his friend ment but he was more in shock at what he had said. Owen was never one to talk much, let alone be so insightful. Regardless Owen was right he can't protect Kid forever, even if he has this burden to do so. He quickly cleared his mind and left the cave to catch up to his friends.

The three friends followed the tracks of the herd for hours. Day was turning to night and the temperature had dropped. They each had a light jacket, but it wasn't enough against the winter weather of Krownest. Owen was shivering like crazy and was starting to fall behind. Tom, as well, was starting to feel like Owen. Andrew on the other hand, looked like he was on the verge of frostbite. But he wasn't even slowing down. He kept pushing through the cold.

Tom had his eye on Andrew since they exited the cave. He was always making sure he was alright. Throughout the day, he saw Andrew shivering but every time Tom asked if he wanted to stop Kid said no. The entire walk Tom's mind was still pondering on what Owen had said to him. He understood what he meant but was unsure when it would happen. He even was thinking this moment was what Owen was talking about. Tom turned around to help Owen and had taken his eyes off Kid. When he turned back to Andrew, he was lying in the snow about to freeze to death.

Tom ran over to Andrew. "Kid!" he shouted. He saw his lips turning blue and his eyebrows were frozen. The frozen metal of his glasses frame had left red streaks, where it had touched the skin.

"We need to find shelter to wait out the night." said Owen as he slowly walked up to Tom.

Tom looked around for a cave or something that could shelter them from the winter weather. He saw nothing that would work but he saw smoke in the distance. Smoke from a camp. 'We found them.' he thought. Picking up Kid in his arms he said, "Come on Owen. Let's see if they can help us."

The campsite wasn't far. Though for Tom and Owen, it felt like 50 miles. The campsite was surrounded by trees and there were four tents. One for each rider. The three emerged from behind the trees and found an empty camp.

"They're gone." said Owen

"No it doesn't make sense to leave their stuff if they left." responded Tom. He fell to his knees because of the long walk. Tom had an idea where they were, as Owen and himself were not quietest when they were coming close to the camp.

Tom looked to the trees behind the tents and shouted. "Please, help us. It's my friend. He is going to freeze to death. Please."

There was silence for a few seconds until Tom heard movement behind the trees. Four mandalorians came out of their hiding places. There were two males and two females. The markings on their armor were very similar to one another, except for one. She had arches on her helmet that came to a point, like ears on a wolf. She spoke first in a serious tone.

"What clan are you?" she asked.

"What?" responded Tom, still holding Kid tight in his arms. "Just please help us. I don't know how hurt he is?"

The female mandalorian knelt down next to Tom and looked at Andrew. She had a small frown when she looked at the child, but it was concealed by the serious look her helmet gave.

"He is quite young to be out here." she said. Her eyes darted across the boy's face. She saw his blue lips and his breath turning to smoke in the cold air. His eyes either closed tightly or frozen shut and his body shivering, like a bantha without fur.

"He is only Ten." stated Tom. He too was looking at Andrew's condition.

One of the male mandalorians spoke up, toward the mandalorian that knelt at Tom. "Your highness, what are your orders?"

"You and I will take these three back to the stronghold." she said as she stood up and walked over to the speeder bikes. "The rest of you continue on the hunt. We will see when you return."

She gestured to Tom and Owen to get on the speeders. Owen hopped on the bike with the male mandalorian. Tom got on with the female mandalorian but had trouble finding a safe position with Andrew in his arms.

"Give him to me." she said, noticing Tom's struggle. "You both will be safer if I hold him." Tom was hesitant at first but handed Andrew to the mandalorian.

Andrew felt himself being passed from Tom to an unknown person. He felt even colder when his cheek touched the mandalorioan's armor. Despite the fact that he was freezing, he felt a sense of warmth with this person. A sense that he only felt with two people in his life. The two mandalorians started the speeders and raced off into the cold night. Tom and Owen had a brief look at each other. They both had concerned faces. Concerned for their young friend and the rest of the Comrades, their lives, and the uncertain future.

Andrew awoke suddenly, jerking upright, gasping for air. His mind raced with recent events of the past hours. He thought it was a dream but he realized he was in an unknown room. He looked around for Tom or Owen, even for his brother. But the room was empty. It was a square room with a big bed, that Andrew was still sitting in, a dresser, a mirror, and two doors. The doors were in one of the corners of the room adjacent to each other.

He got out of bed and looked into the mirror. He saw that he wasn't in his clothes. The attire he was wearing was strange but yet oddly familiar to him. He glanced over his clothes once more before heading to one of the doors. As he approached the door he noticed a button panel on the wall. Tapping one of the buttons, the door opened to a small refresher inside.

'Now this a bathroom.' thought Andrew as he admired the bathroom decor.

Andrew exited the bathroom as the other door opened. In the door frame stood a male mandalorian. His armor was gray for the most part. But had yellowish orange arches, arching off to the sides on the chest plate and helmet. He had seen this type of design before but with the most recent events he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Whoa." said Andrew standing in shock.

"Come with me." ordered the mando, not giving any remark to Andrew's comment , "The Count would like to speak to you."

The mandalorian turned around and headed down the hallway. Andrew followed behind him still in awe of the man leading him. The mando led Andrew into a great room. There was a giant wall of windows on his right when he entered the room. To his left there was a large marble throne with an equally as large painting of a man in similar armor as Andrew's escort.

"My father had that made before he passed." said a man from the other side of the room. The man was the one in the painting. The Count Andrew presumed. He walked over to Andrew, who stood in front of the throne, and removed his helmet. Underneath was the face of a warrior. Short cut brown hair, chiseled chin, scar running down from his right eyebrow to his left cheek. "He died like a Mandolarian. We are a proud people and we keep to our traditions. So tell me boy, what makes you so special for my daughter to bring you and your friends here and break off the traditional Oya'karir?"

"The hunt." Andrew translated to himself. The man in front of him was not only wearing mandalorian armor. He was mandalorian. Andrew was shocked at first, but was pulled out of his thoughts by The Count.

"Well I believe that answered my question." said The Count as he sat upon his throne. He now turned to Andrew's escort. "Bring in my daughter. I would like to speak to her."

The mandalorian bowed and left. Andrew was still confused on who The Count's daughter was. Andrew knew now somehow Tom, Owen, and himself were transported to Star Wars. However he was still having doubts this was even real. He wondered if he was back home in a coma or worse. He began to look around the room nervously. He was looking for his friends, his family. This caught the attention of The Count.

"Tell me, do you have a name boy?" asked The Count as he took a seat on his throne.

"Andrew. My name is Andrew." answered Kid.

"Andrew, huh. That is a powerful name. My grandfather's name was Andrew. He was one of the best." stated The Count. His sentence had drifted off as if he remembered some fond memories. "My name is Alester and you, Andrew, seem to know a thing or two about my people. Tell me, what do you know?"

The Count had lightened the mood for Andrew and he wasn't as scared. Before he could answer his question Andrew asked The Count one. "Are you real?"

"I hope so." responded The Count with a chuckle.

"So you're not something in my head?" Andrew was still unsure if any of this was real. He still wondered if this was all a dream

"Come here, boy." The Count called Andrew to his throne. "Feel this. Is that real?"

The Count held out his Helmet to Andrew, which he nervously took. Andrew felt the helmet in his hands. He felt every dent, scratch, and crack of the battle scarred headwear. He saw the same design again. The same yellow arches, arching off to the sides. Up close he remembered he had seen something similar to it, but it wasn't coming to him.

"Well, is it?" asked The Count with a smile.

"Yes." said Andrew shyly, "It's just that, where I come from you aren't real." He was now fully convinced he was in Star Wars.

"Not real. What do you mean?" asked the intrigued Count.

"Where I come you are fictional. You're just stories from the mind of one man." the young boy explained. Andrew was unsure of how to describe it to The Count. He was hoping The Count would understand for the most part.

"I understand. I know there are parts of the galaxy that believe my people are only legends." nodded The Count. Andrew was about to elaborate more but he was interrupted, as a young woman walked into the room.

She looked about a year or two older than Tom and she was wearing the same design on her armor as well. Her face was one that could rival a princess and she had a toned figure from the years of rigorous training and battles that she had fought in. Andrew presumed it was The Count's daughter. His prediction was right when The Count addressed her.

"Ah, Andrew I would like you to meet my daughter, Ursa." said The Count, addressing Ursa to come over. "Though, I believe she has already met you."

The name made something click in Andrew's head. The planet he was on, the building he was in, the design on the armor all fit together like a puzzle. He was standing in front of the future Countess of Clan Wren. Ursa Wren the mother of Sabine Wren.

"Greetings, Andrew. I am happy to see you are well." She said with a smile, "If your friends didn't call us out, I don't think you would have made it."

The mention of his friends brought Andrew out of his state of awe. "Are they alright?" he asked shyly.

"A little cold, but fine." stated Ursa. "Though I don't agree with my father's decision on what to do with you."

The Count glared at his daughter. "As I told you before, daughter, they are foundlings. There have been multiple times in our history where non-mandalorians have become one with our people, if they prove their worth. And young Andrew here has proven he knows our native tongue. Mandalorian isn't just a race. It's-"

"A creed." finished Andrew to the smiling face of The Count. Ursa, on the other hand, was certainly surprised that this young boy in front of her knew much about her people.

The Count stood up from his throne and stated with a booming voice, "As Count of Clan Wren, I condemn Young Andrew and his companions to The Trials. To prove their worth and become part of the clan!"

Andrew was shocked and speechless. He couldn't believe what The Count was saying. Though his words brought painful thoughts into Andrew's head. Where are his friends?