Sheesh, how the Smoke Kitties prefer to conduct their Trials mean nothing to the Hellions. The Hellions have their own standards to look to for how it happens.
More to the point, a true Ristar would have challenged right there, unarmed. It gets started quicker and you don't risk the machines.
Or maybe that is too much Jade Falcon. Admittedly, most of my knowledge of Clan Trials have to do with interactions with certain Prydeful Warriors and the Widow Killer.