Chapter 25

Carl and Donut appear on Odette's show for an exclusive interview with Beatrice, Carl's former girlfriend and Donut's original owner who was kidnapped by pirates and rescued by the Syndicate. The emotional confrontation ends with Donut and Carl rejecting Beatrice before she is removed from the studio. The chapter concludes with shocking corporate news: the Valtay Corporation has gained 51% ownership of the Borant Corporation through a court ruling, and Carl discovers Donut was somehow involved in orchestrating this dramatic shift in control.

Carl, Donut, and Mongo arrive at the studio where Odette conducts a televised interview. After a pre-recorded segment about bounty hunters and the walk-on list (which censored viewers cannot see), Odette introduces Beatrice as her special guest. Beatrice appears visibly traumatized, having been kidnapped by pirates, taken off-world, and eventually rescued by the Syndicate, leaving her with memory gaps. During the interview, Beatrice is confused and heavily drugged, while Donut remains coldly composed. When the cameras stop rolling, Donut unleashes an emotional tirade at Beatrice, expressing her pain over being betrayed and nearly sold, contrasting her love for Carl with Beatrice's abandonment. Carl adds a brief goodbye, and Beatrice is removed from the studio. Odette then receives news of a corporate restructuring: the Valtay Corporation has acquired 51% ownership of the Borant Corporation due to a court ruling, replacing the Borant System Government's regency. When Carl asks what happened, Donut cryptically reveals she was responsible for this outcome, hinting at a larger plan in motion.