Chrome Zero: Audiobook
Project Overview
Arkarius is a heavily popular, mega-city state, where the ruling government is made up of representatives from the largest mega-corporations in power. The largest of these Corporation, Genesis, hold a majority of power in the government, cemented by their expertise in research, development and implementation of Artificial Humans, or ‘Arties’. Well integrated into society, Arties perform the tasks that are either too dangerous or undesirable for humans.
Keven Arleth is a Netrunner – an expert programmer and hacker that used to work for Genesis and deep in the development of the Arties. However, he made them too good and ended up making himself redundant, his job replaced by the things he created. Bitter against Arties, he was retrenched, and the cyberware they implanted him with to do his job was laced with a toxin that requires a suppressant every 24 hr or the toxins cause considerable pain – this ensures loyalty to Genesis. Keep doing what they want and they provide these suppressants. Now that Keven didn’t work for Genesis, he has to resort to the black market to source these drugs.
Keven is offered an opportunity to exact revenge upon Genesis by a wealthy entrepreneur, who envisions are New World Order, replacing the current government by elected officials by destroying their major product – Arties. Joined by Carter, a laconic mercenary and Lilith, a talented doctor, Keven must step out of his comfort zone and embark on a mission that will either kill him, or enable him to live the life the way he wants.
Chrome Zero is a 97,000 word Cyberpunk novel I wrote 5 years ago and it has sat stagnant. I figure that a way to share this story with people is in a podcast in the style of an audiobook crossed with an audio drama. This is a non-payment project – I have no capital to invest in this, and I’m doing this in my spare time. I’m planning to narrate this myself (or if someone wants to tackle an audiobook pro-bono, I would be very thankful). As this is a passion-project, I’m not giving myself a time limit, but I’m not rushing anything and would love to get it as polished and clean as possible before releasing the episodes. I’m auditioning the roles of the character to voice actors that would be interested in building a body of work for themselves, and keen for exposure. They will be credited in both the episodes and the web site that I plan to create.
This is a massive project for me (maybe I don’t know what I’m opening myself up to), and I would have to stress that the people that I work with are patient with me as I work out what I need to do. If you would be interested in the role, I have a whole heap of characters that need voices. I'm doing a casting call for narrator, 3 main characters and a bunch of minor ones. Will also need some male and female VA to do multiple voices of minor characters.
Open to beginners and amateurs but I ask that you have a decent microphone and no background noise. I will only choose the voices that match the characters I have in my head when I wrote it.
If you have any questions about the project, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will answer you when I can.
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Bitter, listless, bit of a smart alec, but once you breakthrough the hardened façade, he’s actually thoughtful and caring.
I was abducted for a history lesson? Look, Mr. Carter, I’m grateful to you for saving my skin back there, but if you could drop me back to my home, I have to start finding another job.
Oh, I see why I’m here now. Which company are you from Mr. Chandler? Tomgen? Iciclis? Genesis wiped my resource chip when I left, as per corporate policy. I’m a blank file now.
The government and I share a good relationship. I don’t give a shit about them and they don’t give a shit about me.
Smart-ass, gruff as hell. Typical, no BS Merc.
Make yourself useful and take these onboard. Wedge ‘em somewhere so they don’t roll around during flight. We don’t want a UD on board.
I’m going to get us out of this. You’re going to go back there and hang the fuck on.
But you can’t define a soul. I don’t know shit about philosophical stuff, but there are people that believe in a higher power, and you can’t encapsulate that. It’s not tangible. You can’t grab it and transform it in to a bunch of numbers and letters and stick it in a machine. It’s just – faith
The heart of the group, but fully capable of taking care of business if there is a need for it. She is caring, but emotionally unavailable at first, but as time moves on she softens.
Actually, I have. I worked in the Cyberware Trauma department at the hospital for two years. There isn’t much in that department that I haven’t seen. It was the usual incorrect log offs or derezzing. Most of them were dead before they even reached us. But I can’t say I’ve seen someone with as many… connections as you before.
Actually, that isn’t entirely correct. The information on your Resource Chip wasn’t erased, it was just moved. When they reassign Genesis employees to other areas, or if an employee’s services are no longer required, the information chip is kept in storage, just in case that member is re-employed in that department. So, your chip is quite safe— we just need to get to it.
Upper-class, educated and very articulate. Slightly sinister.
No, the slums are like that because of neglect, The people didn’t matter any more. They didn’t need to be elected… the government comprised of the upper echelons of corporations. Business took over democracy, and society changed for the worse.
In a way though, your vehement dislike of them could actually be to your advantage. During your time at Genesis, you worked with a man named Eamon Ferry, do you remember him?
It was a side project, and was near completion. He worked for Genesis, but in his own time was developing this program hand in hand. He was the perfect candidate. Who better to bring something down than its creator? Sadly, with his death, the program— even unfinished— is lost to us now, hidden in the depths of GenTech tower in New Atlantis. Which is where you come in.
Bitter at Keven, seems tired of the whole thing. Whimsical when remembering good times. Keven’s ex-wife who has found a new partner that Keven doesn’t expect.
Not exactly, but when you don’t answer my calls, my messages or my repeated attempts to track you down, you leave me with little choice. Just sign it and we’ll be done. We’ll never have to see each other again.
No, Keven. You’re really not. Your arm, torso… even your fucking head is a machine. You’re practically more robot than man. You’re closer to one of the fucking artificial humans you worked on than the man I married.
Getting all that metal was like you were being robbed of humanity. You showed no emotion. No kindness or love. Or even fucking sympathy. You lacked some of the basic tenants that make us human, yet you spent the whole time making the robots more life-like! You’re just a shell of meat, bone and metal with nothing inside.
Chiyo is very serious and job focused and a skilled martial artist. Understands the cause more than most.
The modifications are impressive, especially on such an antiquated piece of hardware, but it's not going to cut it through Genesis protocols.
And that's the problem. How long ago was that? Two years ago? That's an eternity in the field of neural connections and you know it. That shit you're using might be fine for low level funds skimming and cruising porn VR, but this is the big league, Tomodachi.
Call it an investment. And I want it back at the end of possible.
Intelligent, aloof. Worked alongside Keven once upon a time, and was like a mentor for him.
I knew someone would come eventually. I didn’t think it would be you though. In the end, I guess you are most suited to the job. I was always impressed with your work.
You’re more of a mercenary than I suspected. You of all people should realise what they are doing after working for them. They want to control everything, and the Artificial Humans are only a precursor into what is to come.
Like I said, it’s a complex code. Think back to the level we used to do when developing it. It just needs closing code. You’re going to be a revolutionist.
Leadership, kind but can also be ruthless if she has to. Expert gymnast and proficient with a mono-filament whip, capable of cutting through almost anything, including human flesh!
At that stage we were just setting up down here. It took a while to get a base group together. When the Arties turned, the street networks knew that we’d need a place where we could pool resources and personnel. This place seemed to work as well as any. We’ve got generators for electricity, running water, and we’ve stockpiled enough food to last a while.
Just a word of warning. I’ve tried to keep it on the down low, but it’s gotten out that you’re responsible for the Arties turning. Now I know the situation behind it, and know that it’s not your fault, but understand that many of the people here have been affected by the uprising. In fact, most people here have lost someone in it. They’re looking for someone to blame, and you might find that the blame comes back on you. I’m just saying to be a bit careful.
Larger than life and fiercely protective of Anna. Tech-wiz and intelligent however still young and easily awe-struck.
No, I mean literally. You're packing some serious hardware in there. Anna said I'm not allowed to though. She also asked me to give you this.
Not exactly. Theoretically I know a bit of the hardware, but the software stuff is beyond me. I mean, I know the basics but I don't have anything like that chip in your head.
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