That's where Piotr's wrong, Miles thinks. He hasn't the luxury of choice here. Not when he's stranded in this time, in these conditions. Shirking a battle will be as fatal as failing it. But somehow he thinks his grandfather won't be sympathetic to that particular line of reasoning.

Instead, he keeps his head bowed and his teeth gritted. "It's not a question of intelligence," he says. "It's a matter of loyalty. Duv Galeni is my friend. He'd do the same for me."