Guybrush cleared his throat. "You see-"
But he didn't have time to get any further, because at that moment the door was knocked open. Standing in the doorway were Elaine and the Hermit: Elaine, with a grimace on her face and rubbing her backside. The Hermit looking down at them, inscrutably.
It was a moment of frozen time. Guybrush's mouth dropped.
"Governor!" shouted Wally.
"The Hermit?" said Mancomb. "What-"
"Guybrush!" said Elaine.
"Where'd you come from?" said Guybrush. "How'd you find us? Hey-- do you have Boss Hog?"
"That's what we came in," said Elaine.
"Well... that's..." Guybrush spluttered. "Great!" he finally managed to say. He turned to Mancomb. "I guess things have changed a little. We won't be needing your help."
Beside him Wally was rising in his seat. "Hold on a sec, Guybrush. Mr Seepgood, would you be able to supply us with these items of equipment?" He passed him a list.
Mancomb Seepgood had watched the short reunion with a detached, wary smile. The honorific from Wally seemed to have amused him, however, and he read over the list amicably enough.
Guybrush looked curiously at Wally.
"That's the stuff I wanted to analyse the portal stone," said Wally. "Guess it might come in useful now."
"I guess I can help you with this," said Mancomb. He folded the paper in his pocket, and the detached, wary smile came back. He looked at Elaine.
"Elaine Marley?" he asked sharply.
"Yes," nodded Elaine.
"Of course," said Mancomb. "The Chora Luna entrepreneur. You wouldn't happen to know anything about a fleet of Government ships on orbit directly over us, would you?"
"We saw them some way off," said Elaine. "I made a cloaked landing."
"Over land being watched by thousands of electronic sensors," said Mancomb. "You owned Pael, didn't you? Which Upchuck destroyed, I seem to recall. And now the Government is out here, and from what I hear they're gunning for Upchuck, and any space pirate who gets in their way. Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say, Miss Marley?"
Elaine stared back at him. "I'd never work with the Government. I'm out here to make my fortune, just like you. The only difference is mine is earned, not stolen."
Guybrush stepped forward. "Okay, okay, I think we can leave this discussion for later. Time is pressing."
Mancomb rose from behind his desk. "Right. Fine. Head back to the front airlock chamber. I'll have someone bring some suits and the equipment you wanted. Actually I think I'll come with you. Can't pass by a chance to see the old Boss Hog again."
He walked out of the room. As he passed Elaine, he halted momentarily. "Actually, you're wrong," he said in an undertone. "Us Space Moose, we're not here to make a fortune. We're just like the lifestyle. What we don't like is change."
He left.