"Comin' in here," he said indignantly, looking to the crowd for support. "Bustin' up my rig, callin' names...."
"I want a hundred credits," Retief said. "Now."
"Highway robbery!" Kippy yelled.
"Better pay up," somebody called.
"Hit him, mister," someone else said.
A broad-shouldered man with graying hair pushed through the crowd and looked around. "You heard 'em, Kippy. Give," he said.
The shill growled but tucked his knife away. Reluctantly he peeled a bill from a fat roll and handed it over.
The newcomer looked from Retief to Magnan.
"Pick another game, strangers," he said. "Kippy made a little mistake."
"This is small-time stuff," Retief said. "I'm interested in something big."