I think the context is that they were just friends up until this point, and he's saying the standard line "Dating doesn't really change how we look at each other, huh?"
The closer you go to the speed of light, the more time slows down. If she actually reached lightspeed, the trip would in fact be instantaneous for her, but 79 years for everyone else. Alien girl must be long-lived.
He probably could have spared those pirates.
Dude's never killed anyone in his 50 years of experience, but for whatever reason he's chosen now to take human lives.
Maybe it's just me that's bothered by this.