SHlGEKO'S DOSSIER: (excerpt)
As you might expect, the Fisherman Quarter has the roughest, most numerous and most suspicious kajinin. These two groups are the Moment's Edge Firemen and the Fire Eaters.
The Moment's Edge Firemen run the area from the northeast border of the city down to a line defined by the third pier.
While superficially respectful of authority (and genuinely respectful of military power) [they] are violent and corrupt. During my tenure, both were proved to be associated with prostitution, the sale of opium (both in edible and smokable form), smuggling, extortion and the unlicensed sale of alcohol.In her wisdom, Shosuro Hyobu (G9, P1) ignored my request that their official charter be revoked. Her rationale was that they might well be replaced by a gang or gangs equally ruthless or more so, and that such an upheaval in the criminal underworld would cause far more injury than it would heal.
In my experience with the tougher gangs, they will respect the office of the magistrate - to the extent that they feel a genuine threat. Many of the gangs are complicit with corrupt Thunder Guards, and believe that their destruction is either beyond the power of an Emerald Magistrate, or is simply too much trouble to bother with. If you would have their cooperation, you must have their personal respect.
This is a fine line to walk. I had not been in the city long before I killed an insolent member of the Fire Eaters. After that, I was treated with sullen respect, but they were still tight-mouthed when I made inquiries. Having killed one, I was perceived as an enemy.
Killing a Fire Eater earned me temporary appreciation from the Moment's Edge Firemen, but when they learned that I was honorable and did not intend to play favorites with my enforcement of the law, they too perceived me as an enemy.