Rurik rubs the red mark of his recently healed shoulder, and then pulls a chain hauberk over his head. Slams the breastplate into place. Tightens the endless sequence of buckles and knots.

The thing about bait was that the fish never chose not to bite it. 

He had been committed to this path from the moment the sisters asked for help. They could have spent the rest of the conversation bapping his face with their paws and mocking his taste in haberdashery and he still would have helped them. All of the details about rescue, star-crossed lovers, fate of the worlds - they were almost academic. Of course, it made it better to be doing something important, but it was all secondary to being asked for help. Heron has never asked him for help. Never needed it[1]. 

[1]He'd been walking her towards the training course he'd spent years setting up and refining with Injimo's help when they'd been ambushed by a stryx flock; she'd dealt with them so perfectly that he had quietly changed their path to go by the river shrine instead[2].
[2] Within which Heron found a hidden door, an underground complex, and a twisted nurdragon that had been corrupting the site from below. Right under his nose.

So, there he was, taking a moment to pick out hats that would shore up his defense against missile attacks. He was as committed, as simple as that. But there would come a moment when he would have to decide between doing what Seli and Keli said, and doing what would help them. He could feel it; there had been a moment there when it had felt like they weren't talking at all, that someone else was talking through them. He did not want to help [i]that [/i]person - and he did not want to miss the moment when the two sets of interest diverged.

[Figure Out A Person: 7 What do they hope to get from this plan with Heron?
What are their feelings towards Inara?]