The desperado pulled up a chair uninvited and sat down putting his boots up on the table, scattering sandy soil on a tabletop already none to clean. He produced a cigar from his pocket and lit it with a pocket igniter that was much fancier than it was practical. He puffed several times to get the cigar going, large lips making a satisfied sucking noise. The smoke that issued from the cigar was acrid and unpleasant, unlike any tobacco Junebug had ever smelled.

"Danac...," the stranger rasped, drawing the word out into three syllables.

"The pure stuff, a cigar like this would cost you two hundred credits anywhere else in the galaxy," he boasted.

"How very fucking fascinating," Junebug replied dryly. The stranger grimaced in irritation at her lack of respect.

"You got a smart mouth bitch, it will get you in trouble someday," he promised. Junebug shrugged in affected boredom her eyes scanning the room. The gunmen were clearly used to having the run of the place. They grabbed at the serving girls and helped themselves to the booze without any intention of paying. Those locals that hadn't fled were handled roughly, shoved and mocked although there was no violence yet. Junebug began to wonder if it had been a mistake to bring Taya into a place like this, the young blonde was getting a lot of looks from the thugs but fear, perhaps of the leader, or perhaps of Neil whose earlier exploits were already being talked about kept them at bay. If Taya noticed she wisely gave no sign, staring nonchalantly in imitation of Junebug.

"My name is Warez," the smoking man declared with lofty self importance.

"My friends and I keep this bar free of the Spider scum," he boasted, his hand reaching down to stroke a large bore pistol in a holster on his belt. Junebug wondered what would happen if he drew on them. The swaggering Warez would be dead in an instant but his cronies around the bar were another problem. They surrounded them  on three sides and though they were drinking and probably stoned, they watched the byplay at the table with the enthusiasm of hungry sharks. Junebug doubted that any of the gunmen were worth much, but it was likely that they would manage the job through raw number if not skill. Warez probably felt the same way, though Junebug suspected his logic was different.

"How do I know you aren't Spider scum hey?" Warez asked, puffing theatrically.

"Well between the three of us we only have six legs, so I suppose that might be your first clue," Taya said flatly. Junebug froze for a moment shocked that Taya would act so boldly and worried that it might precipitate a crisis. Instead Warez began to laugh and his crew joined in with sycophantic enthusiasm.