Fortunately for the both of them, he had not been actively pulling at the cigarette and didn't choke on the resulting smoke. That did nothing to add to the fortune of the rest of the situation. Owen recognized the uniform, the rusty colouration of a member of the guard force.

Instinct took over for logical action and he dropped the butt, moving to stamp it out immediately. "What contraband would that be?" he tried, giving a plainly nervous smile as if to hide any evidence of wrongdoing.