@Linsolv At first, I was leaning to side with Kematu for the same reasons as well. He's a very smooth talker, and I like that he's willing to avoid bloodshed. However, he only offers the deal after the Dragonborn has killed a number of the normal bandits. Which, I'd assume, are employed by him. To me, it seems like he's willing to talk simply for the fact that he's realized that, at the very least, several of his actual men (not just local rifraff) will die, should they cross blades with the Dragonborn. That is, when violence through the bandits fails, he tries persuasion instead. By offering money and calm words, he both prevents the death of his own men, and gets Saadia out of the city. But I know its a stretch, and it still doesn't really prove/disprove either side.