[MunchkinMan]

Actually, any other player outside the combat could try to negotiate a trade after the combat is over for an action taken during the combat that could help the players in it. Even if one player exchanges nothing back for an Item, that's considered a trade for the game's definition. Also, someone can always play a GUAL on any other player. So, to recap, a player outside the combat could negotiate to have an Item traded to them for nothing in exchange, or to have a GUAL played on them.

It would probably behoove the players in combat to make sure that, should they choose to negotiate with someone outside the combat in this fashion, that they stipulate that they have to win, in case some other player decides to stop them and are left having to trade something they already own. Though, in this case, it seems like the players had no Items to speak of, so I guess it would be a given. . .