Once River has departed as well -- he trusts, he has to trust that she'll inform Malcolm Reynolds of her intentions -- Gabriel Tam hurries his own steps back to his home.

Twelve hours.

That'll give him plenty of time to consult again with Bajian and Magda, to set searches going through more usual channels, to pursue every possible lead while Regan stands in for him where she can and Mark reschedules everything else.

And, of course, to do one more thing.

He has to tell Simon that in a way, it's happened again.