At the Jupiter Superstation:
A technician marched up to Upchuck's office door and knocked twice smartly. The door slid upward and the technician strode in. He saluted the dark overgrown figure behind the desk.
"We've located a portal stone emission, sir," said the technician. "It's from an old trading post in the outer Jovian moons."
"Is it Guybrush?" said Upchuck.
"We're not sure of that, sir. The reading is unusual - more than twenty times as powerful as all other recorded instances."
"I see." Upchuck didn't pause long. "Send out ten of our fastest fighters. I want them on scene now."
As the technician left, Upchuck felt a little cheered. The sudden appearance of Government ships had taken everyone by surprise, particularly him. They'd lost two dozen ships, and barely even dented the Government forces, before beating a hasty retreat. Upchuck had ordered his men to fly a roundabout route back (causing another six lost ships), so he didn't think his location was yet known, but it would be wise to lay low for the moment.
Had they been sent out to get him?
Upchuck wondered, and planned. One thing he knew for certain - with a portal stone in his grasp, he would be unstoppable.
Elaine was tired, and confused, and barely conscious. Her body seemed to
be operating by itself.
As Lane raised his blaster to shoot her, Elaine's hand slapped at a switch mounted on the doorway wall.
There was a deep mechanical thud. At the same time the blaster fired, Lane's shaky hands missing their target as the energy bolt flew over Elaine's head. She stumbled back from the doorway, her back thumping into the passage wall.
Then Lane screamed. Below him the floor was moving, spreading apart. The hold was opening.
Already a column six inches wide, spreading the length of the room, had split it in two. Shelves spilled over, nails and bolts and screws spilling out into null space. Sheets of paper were blowing over Elaine, sheeting through the open door. The air plucked at her; she got back on her feet.
Inside the hold Lane was still on his feet, though his hair streamed from his face. The gap in the floor was a foot wide and he ran from it, arms flailing in a wild panic. Behind him the portal stone fell a short distance into the gap.
Then, almost instantly, the forces quadrupled. Lane was yanked back through the air as if pulled by an elastic band. Staring into his wide bloodshot eyes, Elaine felt an irresistible shove at her back.
There was no time for anything but reflex. Here on the outer wall there was another switch. Elaine's hand batted it.
The door slammed shut, millisecond quick.
An instant later Elaine's face smashed full frontal into it. Her body rested there for a moment, then slid to the floor.