like i said, i watched the episode over again and he didn't have any intention of trying to free them, gambit asked for his help and he helped gambit. gambit freed the slaves, not cable. cable was more concerned about the leader's lie and unintentionally helping him. in the whole episode, cable never deals with any of the slaves aside from gambit nor does he intentionally make any effort to free them. he only frees gambit when gambit asked him to do it. if anything, that should tell you what his intentions were. anyways, cable is a mercenary, not a freedom fighter like the rest of the x-men so you know he wasn't bent on taking on any moral crusades...