GR translation: "then I defected for nothing, didn’t I?"

[Mike Jing]

V542.20-25, P551.25-30   “Prentice, really it’s all right,” it’s St.-Just
Grossout, whom the others call “Sam Juiced” when they want to shout him
down, during the passages in here when there is nothing for it but a spot
of rowdyism.
       “I . . . just can’t . . . I mean if it is true, then,” a laugh it
hurts him, deep in his windpipe, to make, “then I defected for nothing,
didn’t I? I mean, if I haven’t really defected at all. . . .”

What act of defection is Pirate Prentice talking about here exactly?
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