... okay, now some of the zhirelin are starting to back off from Spoon.

Until the leader (shirt torn on one shoulder, blood streaking her face and matting her hair) shouts hoarsely at them to hold their ground. "You heard her, we've got backup coming --"

Correction: they've got backup here, pouring out of the stairway door. Another half-dozen zhirelin, and a full twenty Security uniforms ... this group not nearly as human-looking.

Three of them have crossbows, with silver-tipped quarrels already nocked and aiming as they come in.