The device STARTED to activate, but wasn't designed to survive this kind of punishment, so they only got a partial effect. For a few seconds, they both suddenly felt their weight double as the field of increased gravity powered up, but then it shorted out, abruptly returning gravity to normal.

However in those few seconds, Viktor had closed the distance between them and pointed his staff at Mir's face, having guessed her to be the leader. The head of the staff held some form of energy in a containment field. His third arm had an open palm pointed at Lori, revealing the aperture to the beam he had been using to cut open the door. He didn't immediately do anything to either of them, though.

"The Glorious Evolution cannot be stopped, and so I must not be stopped. I would hate to harm you, but that doesn't mean I won't."