The portal was an old technology in Xeronis whose use was now restricted. It was in wide use a thousand years ago during planetary campaigns until they courted disaster. Some planets were just far more dangerous to visit and could endanger the entire planet.
There was a catalog for safer planets but pirate faring was popular in Xeronis and bolder citizens did not mind the danger if there was profit to be had. So governments ended up banning the entire technology altogether. The technology was rare now and very expensive to acquire. There was one portal technology that was being kept for research at the palace that Nancy often took advantage of to go explore the planets in the safer catalog.
She had opened the portal to return Ben back to Earth and it was going to remain open for another
