Chapter Five: The Final Right of Interpretation

At 2:57, counsel pushed the final contract forward. Zhixia said, “If Crown requires final interpretive authority, the contract should define a valid rejection.” The lawyer smiled. “Any version Crown determines in writing to be unfit for commercial release becomes invalid material.” “Put that in.” He gladly did. The chairman signed, then Crown's representative. The transaction closed. Kron appeared by video. “Now, Mr. Chen, deliver the version you concealed.” Someone whispered, “Who is Mr. Chen?” Chen plugged in a drive. It held no V24, only a laughably crude ad: white words repeated for sixty seconds on black—CROWN OWNS TOMORROW. “You consider this our advertisement?” Kron asked. “Please judge it as the rights holder.”