You'd still be giving them something. [ A little sharply. ] Hell of a lot more than nothing, and hell of a lot more than Piotr thinks you'll give them. If you're so damned dedicated to your CO, you should've given him everything immediately -- and really, at this point, who says fast-penta is the only thing they have?

[ Psychic fucking empathy and whatever else they might have tucked away in there. Miles' fast-penta resistance isn't something Wash thinks is secure enough be worth banking on, and Byerly's talk about being a distraction really offers him no confidence. He relents a little, though, just because he can tell there's no real getting through, closing his eyes briefly as he takes a breath. ]

Follow your oaths as far as you want, Byerly. [ He won't be able to face himself, let alone Sonia, if he doesn't do his damnedest to get all of his people out alive. Byerly's one of those people now by circumstance, regardless of how little he likes it. ] I've my objective, you've got yours. If there's going to be an actual lever to flip where one side saves you and the other side saves Sonia, you have my word I'll choose her and I'll take responsibility for it myself. It'd just be nice for you to consider your survival as part of the whole deal instead of throwing it on the wayside like you're already determined to die, let alone maintain your cover.