So, if I'm reading this right Sam tries to limit the collatreral damage of his job. Off course that doesn't make him any less complicit in the evils of his society.

No, it doesn't. (I warn you in advance, by the way - the next section "The Players: Dana" which I hope to be able to post tomorrow, if I finish "The Players: Adam" today, is... well, it has some hellishly dark moments. You may find it more bearable if you wait to read it till you can read both "Dana" and "Adam" one after the other.)

I like how you of using the concept of "other" in your story. Scumbags, are less and so it doesn't matter how you treat them. Final destination, so does that mean that Richard couldn't go back to the Games if Sam wanted to get rid of him?

Thanks. I defined "Final destination" in the short story "The Network", which I posted Sunday 2nd November: it means the slave's been sold to his death. Technically (as I understand the Keptverse) an owner isn't allowed to actually on-purpose kill a slave, but Final buyers are licensed exceptions. The arena and big medical testing labs are the two obvious "Final" destinations - but there are others, and the US Marshal's investigatory office for runaway slaves is one of them.