[quote=@Drunken Conquistador]
<Snip>
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Gate held Tigranes' glare for a moment, before diverting his eyes irritably and listening as he spoke. He was expecting to put down some posturing criminal and score some easy respect. He wasn't expecting to come up against an actual, honest-to-the-Emperor soldier. Glancing at Octavia, and at various other gatherings forming around their section of the hanger, he began to fathom that - even if he survived long enough - it might be more difficult than he'd thought to rise to power here. Where he had felt empowered by his ability to understand the Arbites officials, convicts like Tigranes evidently also felt like their previous military occupation gave them new power and opportunity. How many others were there like him?

He became aware that Tigranes had finished speaking. His last words sounded too much like a threat, and so Gate decided to cut his losses. He lets out a short chuckle of mirthless laughter.

"It was only a jest between soldiers, friend!" Gate said, with an edge of sarcasm. "As you say - we've been given quite the window of opportunity by the Emperor, haven't we? We've no reason to fight, especially if we'll be in such close quarters. My name is Gate."