Who Rules Kadara Port

I chose Reyes on my first playthrough. I think he handles the port business better and also has better relationships with the angara and the Initiative, even if he rules from the shadows and has a front, which could lead to problems later. He also comes across as more likeable, which is not the defining factor but it is one nonetheless. Sloane is rather rude. I know she has her reasons and comes around a bit when you save her and it is not black and white.

People say the collective tortures their prisoners and are murderers. True and it is horrible, but so are Sloane and her gang. Her prisoners are also tortured and murdered. Check the terminal in the Outcast HQ. Vehn Terev was tortured quite a lot, it says he has a high pain tolerance. Lacerta killed himself before he was judged. He was likely tortured as well or would have been. The smuggler who did not pay the cut has 3 fingers broken as punishment. And then if they are killed, sometimes (?) their heads are put on display. I wouldn't want to live in a city where you see severed heads in the streets.

It can also be seen as indirect murder when people who don't pay are thrown into the badlands. The blonde Outcast who you encounter twice in the beginning of Kadara even says so. There is aggressive wildlife, toxic water and people who kill you for the clothes on your back. Not to mention the cannibals and leftover kett.

Then there is what Dr. Nakamoto tells you if you ask him about the Outcasts. He is not a fan of either group and says his working conditions under Sloane were fine so I see his opinions as genuine. He says: "Outcast tactics are ruthless. Murder. Mutilation. Beatings. All daily occurence. I didn't sign up for that." And you see how the people are beaten if they don't pay. If you arrive one says they are not better than the Nexus and a krogan guard gets angry at that.

Oblivion was made for profit by Sloane. She tells you she satifies a demand with it. She surely uses part of the protection fees and trade cuts for protection and food and drinks for the citizens but she also uses them to make sure the Outcasts are well off. They are not a charity, Kaetus says so imself.
The Collective make a very potent poison out of fungi for assasinations and do not stop the drug trade if you gave the formula to the asari. But they did not have oblivion made in the first place. Still, it's bad they don't shut it down. The asari is part of the Outcasts. They should track her down again and stop the drug production. However, in part it is Ryder's fault that it continues if they believe the lying asari.

Information from ambient dialogue. Two Collective agents on the stairs at the docks talk about stealing some crates meant for the outpost and the salarian says no, the Charlatan doesn't allow that and would notice it, even if the Initiative would not.
The drunk woman at Kralla's complains that half her shipment was taken by the Collective as fee and calls them thieves. She's also been robbed 3 times since the Collective took over and says that would have never occured under Sloane.
The asari at the mods merchant says the tax is higher with the Collective but the vendor is happy the protection money no longer has to be paid.
Velonia on Elaaden is content with the taxes either way, no matter who rules, she says she makes good profit.
The two angara and asari pirates in front of Kralla's talk about how scavengers wanted to raid the outpost and as a warning their faces were slashed ("the Charlatans smile"). The angara also says they should have put Sloane's head on a spike. But the asari says no, if they did that they might become like the Outcasts, the angara replies yes maybe.
Some Outcast members are kinda unhappy about the outpost. Don't like to have playing neighbours now with Nexus folks.
Sloane reinforces security to prevent more upstarts.

Sloane takes a cut from everything that comes through the port and aks for the protection fee on top. This applies to the outpost as well.
The quarter master in Ditaeon is less happy with her. One crate is missing and if he wants it back he has to pay a "finder's fee". The Collective get everything he wants (plus whiskey for the mayor, lol everybody on this planet is into it) and want samples from the scientist who makes fertilizer.

No matter who you side with, everyone voices concern. Your crew is not sure Sloane will keep her part of the deal for long or if Reyes will lie again. Tate at the outpost is unsure if Sloane will be reliable after what happened on the Nexus and doesn't like to work with swindlers either.

The group that lost will always launch an attack on the outpost and will be repelled by the other.

Also interesting that both groups have mines and (stolen) surveillance satellites in other systems (Solminae, Anasa, Vaar).

They have their differences in running Kadara Port, even if the big stuff plays out the same (always an outpost, always help in the last mission etc.). Sloane's whole free drinks, food and hooking people on drugs (although people should know better by now not to touch that stuff, but producing it is still immoral) looks a bit like bread and circuses to me. I'll side with her in a later playthough to see what comes of it in a sequel/dlc but she is not my first pick. I don't like the protection money or exile, drug production, impaled heads, public beatings and rule through fear image she got going.

I have been wondering though if Reyes he will be able to keep his Charlaten identity a secret for long. There are quite a few people who know about it outside the Collective: Ryder's whole crew, Addison and if she knows, it is likely Tann, Kesh and Kandros do as well. All it takes is a someone listening in or the wrong word to the wrong person and he will be unmasked. Or the Nexus leadership could threaten him with it if they are unhappy with him? Plus, if you side against him everybody in Kadara Port talks about the fact that he is the Charlatan. So even if he comes back and tries to take over again as he mentions in his email to Ryder, he will be known and cannot rule from the shadows anymore. I wonder if he will be exposed in the future anyway, no matter who you backed.