Burning Chrome

Casey is an editor in the business of making virtual reality film work. Studios like the one Casey works for, the Autonomic Pilot, create works with material sourced from people’s subconscious and dreams. Some individuals have a talent for generating especially vivid or notable material. Directly tapping into a person’s subconscious (“jacking” straight across) to engage with “[d]ry dreams” is far too intense for most people, even though the technology is available. The job of editors like Casey is to take the raw material and filter it so that it can be consumed.

Casey describes his mentor, Rubin, as “Gomo no sensei. Master of junk” because he collects an ever-expanding array of cultural detritus (126). Rubin is also known for throwing fabulous parties. At one of these, he meets a woman named Lise who wears a cybernetic “exoskeleton” that damages her body even as it is meant to correct some “congenital” problem.

Casey is introduced to Lise, and she orders him to take her home. She has knowledge of the technological equipment that Casey uses for his job and laughs at his “fast-wipe module” for being inferior (129). Nevertheless, Lise and Casey form a connection, prompted by the powerful allure she has over him.