[Any honest assessment of the situation would have to admit it: deliberately loud or otherwise, Rocket is a hard one to miss. He's a bipedal, talking raccoon, even before any part of his personality comes into play.

Shepard, who is nothing if not the author of assiduously honest sitreps... has certainly noticed him. Has been noticing him. It's actually pretty fucking distracting; she only came in here to see what was available, and now she's been watching the ongoing scene for ten minutes. It's better than an action vid, not that she's seen one recently.

...Actually, maybe this is a problem with a simple solution.]

Hey, look. [And thus does Shepard do what she does best: stepping in where it's none of her damn business, completely sure of her right to do so.] The guy can't pay you, but we can work something out, right? Here.

[She sets her own selection down, all cards on the table, her purchase and Rocket's sitting side-by-side/]

Tell you what, I'll cut you both a deal. You [The raccoon] let me pay your way here, you owe me a drink. Fair? And you [this to the tired-looking face behind the counter] I think I've got something for you that you're gonna like. More importantly, you get us out of your shop. Everybody wins.