Chapter 12

The streets of Mos Espa were packed with people, not all of whom were upstanding members of society, so Alpha kept a close watch on the kids to make sure nothing would happen to them.

Despite Alpha's strange disguise the trio went largely unnoticed through the crowds of people filling the streets of the port city. They had bought the supplies they needed earlier and had just sold most of the valuables they had taken from the pirates so now they were exploring the city's markets.

While Renn and Opal were looking inquisitively at a stall selling different fried meats on skewers Alpha noticed a group of thugs that looked quite familiar to him. After analysing them Alpha summarised that the group had been following them since they had left the shop where they sold the valuables from the pirate ship.

Buying the two children a meat skewer each Alpha began ushering them onwards. While the kids made conversation and snacked on the food Alpha subtly kept tabs on the group of thugs, he was now certain were following them.

Seeing a side alley Alpha quickly directed the kids towards it and once they where off the main street Alpha told them about the group following them. Opal was obviously nervous but was trying to remain calm while Renn reacted emotionlessly to the news and merely looked to Alpha wanting to know what the plan was.

Alpha's plan never got to be put in place as three figures followed them into the ally and another two closed of their escape by appearing at the other end of the ally. The five thugs then started approaching the trio, the leader a large Trandoshan wielding a powerful stun carbine that was a favourite of Trandoshan slavers moved ahead of the rest to approach Alpha and the children.

Alpha moved to intercept him and try and persuade them to leave them alone, but he wasn't able to get any words out before a high powered blaster bolt from the trandoshan's carbine hit him square in the chest and sent him flying to crash into a pile of boxes. His heavy frame splintered the boxes on impact and he came to a stop lying flat on his back and motionless.

-

Renn watched the shot hit Alpha and stepped protectively in front of A terrified Opal.

He had Known something was wrong when Alpha had started acting a bit strange in the market and had spotted the thugs following them soon after, so when Alpha had told them they were being followed he wasn't surprised and just waited for Alpha to decide what to do.

He was surprised though when the trandoshan leading the thugs shot Alpha, but he knew that Opal needed protecting more than him so had moved between her and the thugs and was currently trying to think up a plan to deal with them.

"Hahaha, he went flying" the trandoshan laughed as he approached Alpha's fallen body.

"Look at this, two little ones we could sell them for quite a lot" another one of the thugs grinned as he looked at Renn and Opal.

"Hehe, that plus the credits they got from that store we have a nice prize here" a third laughed.

The trandoshan leading the group reached down to search Alpha's body for the credits. As his clawed hand was nearing the still smoking robes on Alpha's chest Renn spoke up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

"Ha really? are you threatening me you puny child?" the trandoshan questioned scornfully.

Renn didn't have to elaborate as suddenly a bandaged hand shot up to grab the trandoshan's outstretched arm. The trandoshan screamed in pain and stared clawing with his free hand at the bandaged arm gripping his own arm in a vice like grip. But instead of his claws slicing into the flesh he expected under the bandages they just slid off metal.

As the trandoshan flailed Alpha's second hand, balled in a tight fist, stuck him across the head. The blow stunned the lizard man and Alpha used that to push himself to his feet and continue pummelling his now helpless victim.

The rest of the thugs where shocked for a moment as their leader, who was a trandoshan a species renowned for their strength, was being thrown about by what seemed like a regular sized humanoid. After realizing the situation three of the remaining thugs rushed to help but the first two only accomplished having a two meter tall lizard man collide with them at high speed after he was thrown at them.

The third thug watching his friends crushed by his boss pulled out a knife and tried to stab Alpha in the back. His attempt was foiled however when a robotic hand slapped the knife out of his hand, the force of the slap shattering his wrist, and a second later a metal elbow collided with his cheek knocking him into unconsciousness.

The final of the five thugs had decided that the mysterious robed figure beating everyone to a pulp wasn't an opponent he wanted to fight so instead lunged towards the two kids in attempt to use one as a hostage.

Renn saw the thug charging towards him and Opal and stepped forward to meet him. As the thug ran Renn sent a strong push using the force towards the thug's feet, he tripped and as he was falling Renn pulled back his fist before sending a strong punch into his head. After colliding face first with the ground, the thug lay still.

In the span of a few seconds the situation in the ally had completely changed. Renn, Alpha and Opal now stood before a pile of unconscious thugs, when they heard a voice call out from the ally's entrance.

"Good you're okay, I was coming to warn you."