Okay, so I accepted the quest at the Dug Out Inn to help boost the confidence of Travis, the radio DJ.
So, we are all set to stage the fake bar fight. The two hired "tough guys" proceed to threaten Travis, and I step in to prod him into standing up to them. Travis, in his shaking voice, warns me that's a bad idea - "It could lead to violence!" Well, he knew what he was talking about, even if I didn't.
I make sure to unequip all my weapons before the fight - we don't want to hurt these actors after all. Travis and I proceed to punch them, and I think we're doing pretty well. Then, Bull, one of the actors, catches Travis with a pretty savage jaw punch that staggers the DJ backwards. Travis apparently decided he'd had enough of this [censored] .... and pulls out a pipe pistol! The entire bar full of patrons start screaming as he unloads round after round into Bulls chest, dropping him to the ground, stone dead. He then quickly turns and shoots the other actor dead as well. He then plops down on a bar stool, and begins muttering about how he knew it was a bad idea to stand up to them.
Vladimir then yells at ME for killing people in his bar. I really wanted to point out that it was HIS plan that svcked, and maybe he should have checked whether a paranoid worry-wort like Travis maybe was packing heat!
I reloaded a save game and pickpocketed Travis' pistol off him before trying again. Success. Thank goodness I had all the Ranks of Pickpocket!