"Whatever needs doing. Staying out of the way of the bigger fight and focus on the needs of the little guys who are shoved out of the way and ignored... S'what I used to do on the Serenity. Steal medicine and food to take to the highest bidder on the outter planets that were abused by the Alliance.... Might as well stick with what I'm good at."
He couldn't be focused on Niki. Sure, she was an insanely attractive woman that would have even made Inara uncomfortable, but this wasn't a time to spread any oats or give into the most likely trick the Alliance was playing on him. He was used to closing out his emotions. that's how one could survive in the 'verse, that's how he planned to survive in T'Earth that Was.