One of the crew, the assassin Tasu Leech, asked the trooper if they were supposed to take them seriously. Leech's fellow crewmate Zuckuss told Leech to be cautious, and Leech asked why, adding that stormtroopers were not known for their aim. The trooper reacted to the comment by hitting Leech in the head with his blaster, telling him that they could hit him pretty good from where they were. Losha Tarkon, another of the crew, threatened the trooper if they touched Leech again, and Zuckuss once again tried to defuse the situation, but the trooper had had enough, stating they would not endure another insult, and made the call to kill the hunters. Sahm protested the decision, telling the trooper that killing the crew was not what they were supposed to do, but she interrupted by the arrival of Valance, who informed the trooper they were committing an act of insubordination.
Valance then asked the trooper if his orders had not been clear, to which the trooper apologized, but questioned what one more dead rebel sympathizer was. Unbeknownst to the trooper, Valance had just received news that his former lover, Yuralla Vega, who was also a rebel sympathizer, had been killed by the Empire. Valance grew angry at the question, and responded to the trooper that they had chosen the wrong thing to say. Valance then punched the trooper through the chest, killing him, and causing the other troopers to attack him.