A Star's Descent

Chapter Twenty-Six: Farewells

A Star's Descent

By evolution-500

Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Farewells

Rebecca watched as Coen continued to yank at the lever on the console.

"I don't get it," he said as he glanced around the platform. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with this thing, so why are we stuck?"

"Maybe it's a power surge," Star suggested.

"But the lights are still operational," Coen pointed out.

"Well...maybe it just needs a few minutes to...I don't know, cool down, perhaps?"

The convict frowned.

"I don't know," he said in frustration. "I hate the idea of having to sit on my ass and do nothing while monsters are stalking about."

Coen rubbed his hand against his chin, then paused. "Unless..."

"What?" Rebecca asked.

He looked in her direction.

"You still have the radio on you, right?" he queried.

The medic blinked.

"Of course! How could I have forgotten about that?!" she exclaimed, mentally kicking herself as she raised up her radio. "Richard, are you there? Over."

She waited for a response. Nothing but static.

"Richard, can you read me? Over."

Still nothing. Rebecca nervously wiped her forehead.

"Richard, please respond. Over."

Rebecca, Star and Coen waited with baited breath for an answer. The former shook her head.

"I'll try another channel," she said anxiously. "Captain, are you there? Over."

Static crackled from the speaker.

"Captain, if you can hear this, please, respond!"

Silence.

"Forest, can you hear me?" Rebecca said into the receiver.

The radio played only dead air.

"Captain? Richard? Forest?" she repeated, her hands trembling furiously.

As the speaker continued to emit static, she felt her nerves fail her.

"DOES ANYONE COPY?!" she yelled into the receiver. "SOMEONE! ANYONE! PLEASE ANSWER! WE NEED HELP!"

Nothing.

"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US!"

Static crackled in her ears.

Scowling, Rebecca felt tempted to throw the radio away, but stopped herself. Taking in a deep breath, she pressed into the receiver several times, spacing out the pauses deliberately. Hopefully someone will be able to pick up on her message. Turning back to face her companions, the medic shook her head sadly.

"I can't reach anyone," she said. "I sent an SOS using Morse code, but I don't know if anyone had heard us."

"So what do we do in the mean time?" Star asked.

Coen grunted.

"The only thing we can do, Red - just sit tight and pray someone heard us."

"And if no one comes?"