Chapter 24

Carl and Donut record a segment for Planet Beautiful aboard a deluxe submarine production trailer. Carl refuses to read a heavily biased script about human beauty pageants and negotiates for a different topic, while Donut goes off-script discussing dog breeding. After recording, they learn that Frank was killed by Chris (a rock monster from Imani's crew), and Carl receives an urgent message that the Kravyad has died, stranding 150+ crawlers without souvenir hats and halting train service. Upon returning to their personal space, they find it mysteriously full of women of various races, including Hekla.

Carl and Donut travel via teleportation to a submarine production trailer operated by Senegal Production Systems and staffed by the AI Mexx-6000. The trailer maintains their access to inventory and system interfaces because it operates within the main planetary zone rather than isolated system zones. Donut marvels at the underwater view while Carl discusses Unsinkable Sam, a famous WWII ship's cat. They enter a physical studio to record segments for Planet Beautiful. Carl's section covers human beauty pageants, but he refuses to read the provided script, which contains inaccurate and offensive content based on internet incel terminology ("Chad," "beta males," "roasties"). He confronts producer Bin, a gray alien, who admits the scripts are poor quality due to pressure from Titan and use of an incomplete AI consultant. Carl compromises by selecting a script about video games instead. Donut goes off-script discussing cocker spaniels and the Crufts dog show. After recording, Donut receives news from Sledgie's chat that Frank (the man Carl spoke with earlier) was killed in a fight with Chris, a rock monster, who then left the bar and was banned. Carl is troubled, remembering that Chris is Brandon's brother and that his crew (Imani and Elle) reported he'd changed. Before leaving, Carl asks Donut about PVP coupons; Donut reveals she destroyed them already. Carl then steals several items from the trailer including refrigerating shelves and a makeup table, claiming he wants them for ice machines but actually needing them for trap and potion recipes. A message arrives from Bautista reporting disaster: their attempt to paralyze the Kravyad resulted in her death, the portal closed, 150+ crawlers lack souvenir hats, and trains have stopped running. Carl advises Bautista to reach the abyss portal and find a way to station 436 to commandeer a named train. As Carl and Donut prepare to leave, Carl takes a screenshot revealing their previously empty personal space is now occupied by approximately thirty women of various races and species, including Hekla.