The passage abruptly ended. "We're here," announced Elaine. She swivelled around, and typed a few commands into the NC-10. The hatchway in front of them opened.
They flew forward into a small airlock, barely large enough to house Boss Hog. "Wait a bit," said Elaine. A few seconds later, she said, "The back hatchway's closed." She typed some more, then the hatchway at their front opened. Beyond was the dotted emptiness of space.
"Wally," said Guybrush, "floor it."
They sped out from the hatchway.
Several minutes ago, the battle had been won. Upchuck's fighters, and the
Pael defence, had been concentrated around the main gateway. As the last
Pael fighter was blown into smithereens (whatever they are) Upchuck
immediately put phase two of his plan into operation. Half the fighters
were to enter Pael and flush it out. A few more would check out the
evacuation fleet, make sure Guybrush wasn't among them. And the rest were
to spread out evenly over Pael's surface, keeping every inch under
scrutiny.
If they'd managed to leave five minutes earlier, Guybrush, Elaine and Wally would most probably have gotten away without being seen. Now, the moment they left the hangar Boss Hog was spotted by seven pirate craft. The craft flew straight for them, lasers firing.
Wally jerked the controls, and Guybrush jumped up into the air. He ran for the door. The handcuffs pulled him up short, and Guybrush fell on his back. "Come on!" he shouted at Elaine, as he got back to his feet. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him.
"What are you doing?" shouted Elaine as they ran down the narrow passage.
"We've only got one chance!" said Guybrush. "Wally can't outrun these guys..."
He came to a ladder and half-ran, half fell down it. Elaine was nearly dragged through headfirst. In the passage below, Guybrush ran forward to a door and threw it open. The hold.
They ran inside, and Guybrush reached for his hip. Nothing there. Of course - he'd left his blaster back in the cockpit. He glanced at Elaine, and saw a blaster hanging off her belt.
Guybrush pointed at the portal stones. They sat side by side, nearly touching. "Shoot them," he said.
Elaine looked at him unbelievingly. "What? Why?"
Desperation: "Just do it!"
Elaine drew her blaster, not very convinced. She aimed at Guybrush's portal stone, and fired.
Seven laser bolts impacted on empty space. Two seconds later, the pirate
craft crashed into each other. Where Boss Hog had been, there was nothing.