The beacon emitted a brief signal last Oct. 27, possibly at the moment when the boat capsized.

Francis took a deep breath and called forth the power of the diamond, flashing a brief signal to waiting Brother Braumin across the way.

These brief signals are generally the only way a Venusian knows to give him space to work out his feelings alone.

"It's more likely his combadge was destroyed, which explains that brief signal," she answered.

Then the leader's other hand flickered in a brief signal.

He made a brief signal to a corporal nearby, who fended off the launch and shoved it back through the watergate.

"As it is..." He gave the cosmonik a brief signal.

And a brief signal from his on-board emergency radio beacon was misinterpreted by ground stations.

But the secret radio monitoring service intercepted 20 minutes later a brief signal on a hyperspace wave.

Wallis also confirmed that he had also received a couple of brief signals from Malone.