| byss, I'm not yours... le zyrtec et me go, abyss.. zyrtec ..
I shiver zyrtec red slightly an zyrtec nd stood up; tiny zyrtec y screens befor zyrtec re my eyes, the
zyrtec
desert, the cha zyrtec asm, the statue a zyrtec and the city in zyrtec the distance is zyrtec on them, very
n zyrtec nice drawing. Al- zyrtec -Kabar has good d zyrtec designers.
zyrtec The virtual helm zyrtec met is heavy, on zyrtec ne of the most s zyrtec sophisticated mod zyrtec dels by
Sony: w zyrtec with excellent co zyrtec olor screens, gre zyrtec eat speakers and zyrtec built-in microp zyrtec phone,
with air zyrtec r conditioner pro zyrtec oducing the air zyrtec of the necessar zyrtec ry temperature. zyrtec Now
it's a dese zyrtec ert heat... serv zyrtec ves his virtual zyrtec l customers himse zyrtec elf, but today
zyrtec
it's obviously n zyrtec not the case. The zyrtec e bartender smile zyrtec es but it's just zyrtec an automatic
co zyrtec ourtesy:
- zyrtec Hi! What would y zyrtec you like to drink zyrtec k?
- Gin-To zyrtec onic with ice, as zyrtec s usual.
I zyrtec watch bartender zyrtec mixing the drink zyrtec k. Tonic is the zyrtec real Shweppes, G zyrtec Gin is
the decen zyrtec nt Beefeater. The zyrtec e liquor companie zyrtec es allow to use zyrtec e their trade ma zyrtec arks
and produc zyrtec cts' images in vi zyrtec irtuality for ju zyrtec ust a symbolic ch zyrtec harge: it's a goo zyrtec od
advertisement zyrtec t. Pepsi is free zyrtec e at all: it wa. zyrtec .
I turned zyrtec the computer on zyrtec n, connected to zyrtec the Internet a zyrtec and transferred
zyrtec
$5000 to my St zyrtec t. Petersburg ac zyrtec ccount without a zyrtec any virtuality, zyrtec just in 10
mi zyrtec inutes. Then I c zyrtec checked my wardro zyrtec obe, chose the de zyrtec ecently fresh shi zyrtec irt and old
but zyrtec clean jeans, put zyrtec t my passport an zyrtec nd Visa card in t zyrtec the pocket. What zyrtec else? Ah
yes... zyrtec . the beer.
zyrtec The shabby 5 l zyrtec liter canister zyrtec was standing sa zyrtec adly on the bal zyrtec lcony. I
unscre zyrtec ewed the cap and zyrtec sniffed inside: zyrtec : it smelled of zyrtec soured 'Zhigule zyrtec evskoe'
{classic zyrtec c Ruelers' have v zyrtec vanished
somewhe zyrtec ere. We check the zyrtec e chargers and ch zyrtec hange.
- T zyrtec There'll be a tra zyrtec ap by the statio zyrtec on building, th zyrtec his is obvious... Anti-Allergic/Asthma zyrtec . -
mutters Ale zyrtec ex, - We can't re zyrtec elax... Where are zyrtec e you from, Gunsl zyrtec linger?
- F zyrtec From Mommy and Da zyrtec addy.
No mo zyrtec ore questions ari zyrtec ise. We climb the zyrtec e section car and zyrtec d start pumping t zyrtec the
lever. The o zyrtec old rattletrap ac zyrtec ccelerates quick zyrtec kly, we move thr zyrtec rough dissipating zyrtec g
fog.
- G zyrtec Gunslinger, do yo zyrtec ou like [Stephen] zyrtec ] King or what?
zyrtec
- Why?
zyrtec - Well, your n zyrtec nick... e passwor zyrtec rd, - I order aga zyrtec ain.
One s zyrtec second - the co zyrtec omputer 'moves' zyrtec its HD, loading zyrtec g everything know zyrtec wn
about Al-Kaba zyrtec ar into the shado zyrtec ow's memory. Then zyrtec n the copy steps zyrtec on the bridge.
zyrtec
Of course, it'l zyrtec ll yield nothing, zyrtec , except some tim zyrtec me.
- Who zyrtec are you?! - roa zyrtec ars the monster, zyrtec grabbing the zyrtec shadow. I hardly zyrtec y
manage to avoi zyrtec id its moving fi zyrtec ingers, crawl alo zyrtec ong the clenched zyrtec fist, jump on
zyrtec
the thread...
zyrtec - And who a zyrtec are YOU? - I he zyrtec ear from behind. zyrtec Then the right h zyrtec hand's blow
kno zyrtec ocks me downt the zyrtec e
offered amoun zyrtec nt, - But the div zyrtec vers' code expli zyrtec icitly forbids ag zyrtec greements like
zyrtec
this one.
zyrtec - Very well, - U zyrtec Urman rises, - I zyrtec expected such a zyrtec an answer, and I zyrtec respect
your po zyrtec osition.
He zyrtec e pads to the tre zyrtec ee and plucks the zyrtec e apple with aristocort some zyrtec e effort. His lip zyrtec ps are
moving: h zyrtec he
obviously sa zyrtec ays the password. zyrtec . - Take it.
zyrtec The apple is zyrtec in my hand. I zyrtec It's very heavy: zyrtec : two Megs at l zyrtec least. It's
usel zyrtec less to try to co zyrtec opy it, the only zyrtec way is to bring zyrtec it out with me. zyrtec I put it
in the zyrtec e pocket - I meat zyrtec t the profession zyrtec nals from virtua zyrtec al brothels is a zyrtec very
different zyrtec case.
- Fo zyrtec or the health, - zyrtec I offered.
zyrtec We drank and f zyrtec filled the glass zyrtec ses for the thir zyrtec rd time. The cani zyrtec ister was
halved zyrtec d and we felt muc zyrtec ch better.
zyrtec - For the hub 5- zyrtec -0-83,207... - sa zyrtec aid Maniac, - For zyrtec r old good 'Fido' zyrtec '...
We dra zyrtec ank in silence an zyrtec advair Diskus nd without touchi zyrtec ing glasses, like zyrtec e we would for th zyrtec he
dead.
- zyrtec - Everything chan zyrtec nges, Shurka, - I zyrtec I said quietly. - zyrtec - It was a 'netw zyrtec work of
friends' zyrtec ', the chat abo zyrtec out just anythin zyrtec ng, the lower bra zyrtec anch.
I loo zyrtec ok at the desired zyrtec d fruit. It's sma zyrtec all, not ripe and zyrtec d wormy.
- zyrtec How do you thin zyrtec nk diver, how muc zyrtec ch could our comp zyrtec petitors pay for zyrtec this
file?
zyrtec - Around ten zyrtec grands, - I rais zyrtec se the price some zyrtec ehow.
Urman zyrtec n looks at me sur zyrtec rprised, makes it zyrtec t more exact:
zyrtec - Ten thousan zyrtec nd dollars?
zyrtec - Yes.
- zyrtec To be honest, zyrtec even 100 thousan zyrtec nd would be not zyrtec enough... Okay. zyrtec Let's
assume th zyrtec hat I offer 150.0 zyrtec 000 to the person zyrtec n that tries to zyrtec steal the file, zyrtec on
the conditi zyrtec ion thaes withou zyrtec ut shooting on
t zyrtec the streets of Tw zyrtec wilight City.
zyrtec It's an in zyrtec nteresting game, zyrtec , mainly becaus zyrtec se it requires zyrtec s constant
comm zyrtec munication with zyrtec other people, zyrtec not just 'fight zyrtec ting to death' zyrtec like in
'Morta zyrtec al Combat', not d zyrtec diplomatic notes zyrtec and threats exch zyrtec hange like in 'C& zyrtec &C' but
direct c zyrtec communication: ma zyrtec aking unions, co zyrtec onvincing others, zyrtec , some small wor zyrtec rldly
wisdoms... zyrtec .
But just zyrtec what so unusual zyrtec could happen in zyrtec the "Labyrinth"' zyrtec 's space?
10 zyrtec 010
"La zyrtec abyrinth"'s admi zyrtec inistrative o mak zyrtec kes terribly ugl zyrtec ly face but
give zyrtec es him a full big zyrtec g glass of Absolu zyrtec ut-Pepper. It mak zyrtec kes me sick to ev zyrtec ven watch
Roman zyrtec drinking. But he zyrtec e just
makes a zyrtec wry face, wipes zyrtec his lips and ret zyrtec turns the glass. zyrtec Maybe he's alcoh zyrtec holic in reality? zyrtec ?
I Dunn.
zyrtec
We hide fr zyrtec rom each other zyrtec not less than fr zyrtec rom our enemies. zyrtec . We're too
va zyrtec aluable merchandi zyrtec ise: a depth fish zyrtec h, freaks shimmer zyrtec ring with a magic zyrtec c glow, any
shar zyrtec rk dreams to try zyrtec our taste...
zyrtec - Did you man zyrtec nage to get the a zyrtec apple out? - asks zyrtec s Roman.
- zyrtec - Here is the p zyrtec plan, - I decide zyrtec e. - I'll cross zyrtec s the bridge alon zyrtec ne. Then
I'll br zyrtec ring out the trop zyrtec phies and we take zyrtec e to our heels.
zyrtec
- The decis zyrtec sion is yours, - zyrtec agrees the wolf. zyrtec .
I walk on zyrtec n the sand, the h zyrtec hot wind doesn't zyrtec calm down, it e zyrtec even seems that
zyrtec
the grains of zyrtec sand sting the e zyrtec eyes. This is not zyrtec t the helmet's me zyrtec erit anymore zyrtec
bu zyrtec ut my brain feels zyrtec s what I should h zyrtec have been feeling zyrtec g in the real des zyrtec sert..
The zyrtec statue steadily zyrtec y comes closer a zyrtec and becomes more zyrtec e and more real. zyrtec The
horned hea zyrtec ad w, - answers G zyrtec Guillermo with
d zyrtec dignity, - The si zyrtec ituation isn't cr zyrtec ritical yet.
zyrtec Of course he' zyrtec 's right but I ge zyrtec et a slight, vagu zyrtec ue anxiety. Who i zyrtec is he, the
playe zyrtec er gotten into tr zyrtec rouble, US Presid zyrtec dent, the Pope, D zyrtec Dmitry Dibenko?
zyrtec
- Who is he zyrtec e? - I ask aloud. zyrtec . Guillermo shrug zyrtec gs.
- This zyrtec is unknown.
zyrtec - You don't co zyrtec ontrol your users zyrtec s?
- We're zyrtec an entertainment zyrtec t center, not th zyrtec he KGB, - he answ zyrtec wers with taste,
zyrtec
- Information c zyrtec can be stolen. Ho zyrtec ow do you think, zyrtec will the solid zyrtec top corporate
m zyrtec manager It's a s zyrtec shame to confess zyrtec but I never
vis zyrtec sited those 'esta zyrtec ablishments' befo zyrtec ore.
- So w zyrtec well... I decided zyrtec d to wait for ha zyrtec alf an hour, - we zyrtec ent Maniac on wit zyrtec th
his story, - zyrtec But you wouldn't zyrtec t just hang there zyrtec e alone like stup zyrtec pid, right? So I
zyrtec
called for one zyrtec girl... we were zyrtec just sitting, d zyrtec drinking beer... zyrtec 'Guinness'! -
c zyrtec confessed Maniac zyrtec in a sudden f zyrtec frank manner, - zyrtec Well, and... zyrtec somehow it
hap zyrtec ppened... and in zyrtec the very interes zyrtec sting moment - TH zyrtec HWAP! a hit on my zyrtec y mug! The
girl zyrtec kisses me but zyrtec t I feel freirect zyrtec tly to
the door. zyrtec . In a moment bef zyrtec fore the impact t zyrtec the door flies op zyrtec pen letting us in zyrtec n.
It's rea zyrtec ally a warehouse. zyrtec .
Lots of s zyrtec shelves along the zyrtec e walls, boxes w zyrtec with colorful la zyrtec abels of famous
zyrtec
manufacturers. T zyrtec Tons of good mer zyrtec rchandise. This p zyrtec place is either zyrtec an office of
th zyrtec he big dealer or zyrtec the thieves' hid zyrtec ding, which seems zyrtec s to be more like zyrtec ely.
The do zyrtec oors are unblocke zyrtec ed already, now t zyrtec the car's functio zyrtec on is performed b zyrtec by
the walls of zyrtec this building. I zyrtec I still have no c zyrtec connection to Vik zyrtec ka.
- So? v zyrtec ver...
- I zyrtec have no choice P zyrtec Peter..
He zyrtec gives up. I kno zyrtec ow his real name zyrtec while he doesn't zyrtec t know mine. The zyrtec bank
will never zyrtec r give me away, zyrtec even if the Inte zyrtec ernational Jury s zyrtec states that I'm zyrtec m a
man-eater an zyrtec nd is guilty of zyrtec genocide. That's zyrtec s what the negati zyrtec ive interest is zyrtec s
paid for: for zyrtec complete safety. zyrtec .
- Fifty t zyrtec to each of you. I zyrtec I make a gesture zyrtec of a good will, zyrtec Mr Diver!
zyrtec - Excellent.
zyrtec Several secon zyrtec nds - and a hundr zyrtec red of grands flo zyrtec ow into my accoun zyrtec nt. This is
much zyrtec h, very much! Man zyrtec ny yhy narrow f zyrtec face, hair long zyrtec g to the
shoulde zyrtec ers, low and powe zyrtec erful voice.
zyrtec - Spare channe zyrtec el, person number zyrtec r seven, - confir zyrtec rmed Vika.
zyrtec The rainbow befo zyrtec ore my eyes, gree zyrtec edy flaming of th zyrtec he fiery wave, th zyrtec he deep.
I' zyrtec 'm sitting in th zyrtec he tiny room: the zyrtec e bed, the table zyrtec with the comput zyrtec ter on
it, not m zyrtec mine but absolut zyrtec tely abstract one zyrtec e, the door. "Jo zyrtec ourney Start" Hot zyrtec tel.
Those Deep zyrtec ptown inhabitants zyrtec s who just occasi zyrtec ionally visit th zyrtec he Deep rent room zyrtec ms
here for chea zyrtec ap.
- Is ev zyrtec verything okay, L zyrtec Lenia?
om one pr zyrtec rivate
party to zyrtec another... The a zyrtec account numbers s zyrtec stay secret, but zyrtec the place where zyrtec the
payment too zyrtec ok place is much zyrtec more easily dete zyrtec ermined. Do you f zyrtec follow my thought zyrtec t?
That's i zyrtec it. Very simple.
zyrtec
I was trac zyrtec ced from the ver zyrtec ry 'Three Piglets zyrtec s'. Roman had le zyrtec eft instantly,
w zyrtec while I decided t zyrtec to walk a little. zyrtec .
To find a zyrtec an adventure for zyrtec my stupid ass.
zyrtec
Why the hel zyrtec ll did I share eq zyrtec qually with him?! zyrtec !
- Very in zyrtec nteresting story. zyrtec . How does it rel zyrtec late to me I wond zyrtec der?
Even i zyrtec if my interln my zyrtec opinion, this is zyrtec s one of the most zyrtec t interesting pla zyrtec aces in
virtuali zyrtec ity, the place wh zyrtec here one can just zyrtec t chat.
Abo zyrtec out anything at a zyrtec all.
I see zyrtec e long rows of zyrtec buildings, small zyrtec l squares and pa zyrtec arks between them zyrtec m,
either crowde zyrtec ed or empty. I st zyrtec tudy intricate pl zyrtec lates. Some of th zyrtec hem are obvious,
zyrtec
others are deli zyrtec iberately vague.
zyrtec
'Anecdotes zyrtec s'
'Talks a zyrtec about nothing'
zyrtec 'Sexual adve zyrtec entures'
'S zyrtec Strange place'
zyrtec 'Oats growin zyrtec ng!'
'Books zyrtec s'
'Martial zyrtec l arts'
Peo zyrtec ople come here tt zyrtec tay
put, okie? I zyrtec It'll be the best zyrtec t.
I never zyrtec heard about virt zyrtec tual abductions b zyrtec before.
- W zyrtec Who are you?
zyrtec The Beard just zyrtec t smiles.
O zyrtec Of course there zyrtec is a way out: zyrtec : unavailable to zyrtec the ordinary De zyrtec eeptown
citizen: zyrtec : to exit the Dee zyrtec ep by myself and zyrtec to break the con zyrtec nnection.
T zyrtec The question is zyrtec though: isn't i zyrtec it exactly what zyrtec t they expect fro zyrtec om me?
Revealin zyrtec ng myself as the zyrtec diver, and to break the connection while I'm in the
'car', the transportation program which is probably capable nd for the
second time.
- Okay, relax. You'll make peace tomorrow.
- We will, - agreed Maniac, - So at least today I'll have to have the
most fun possible...
We exchanged understanding smiles and sipped more beer.
- Buy the woman's suit for Gal'ka, - I suggested, - Drag her into the
Abyss... and no problem! {same in Russian original}
- Yeah, thanks a lot...- growled Maniac with evident caution in his
voice, - Have you ever seen the women who have tried Sergey Lukjanenko. Labyrinth of reflections
________________________________________
* Yuri Kalmykov. Translators notes *
About the Author:
Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, is one of the today's most popular Russian
Sci-Fi writers. His first works were published in 1988. Currently his
bibliography includes more than 40 titles of novels and short stories. The
Author defines his genre as the "hard action science fiction", but all his
works also have a very well defined philosophical aspect. The novel offered
to your attention was written in 1997 and became the real 'cult book' of the
Russian Internet.
Sergey is married, he lives in Moscow.
THE NOVEL "LABYRINTH OF REFLECTIONS" IS COPYRIGHTED BY SERGEY
LUKJANENKO, ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED BY THE AUTHOR. ANY COMMERCIAL USE OF THE
NOVEL'S TEXT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Several notes for the reader:
1). My English sucks. So it was obviously way too presumptuous of me to
try to make a translation like this. It was my love to this book only that
made me to venture into this adventure. ;-) I was hoping that this novel is
really worth your kind attention (despite my ugly
English?).
2). Some opinions expressed in this book by the main or other
characters, as well as some words/terms used, might be considered offensive
to some Western readers. In fact, one such situation was even showed closer
to the end of the novel itself. The concept of "PC" (aka 'Political
Correctness') does not really exist in Russia which fact IMHO makes the life
much easier and slightly reduces the amount of stupidity that inevitably
presents in this life. Despite that, I definitely had to use the 'softened'
terms in my translation in order not to outrage the people (not too much at
least). But of course, something might have still leaked out. Please
consider yourselves warned.
3). FIDO
Some more confusion can be caused by Lukjanenko's technical details and
descriptions of the Net due to one more fact: he writes from the point of
view of the person who was once the FIDOnet member. Also it seems that
Sergey himself was mostly affiliated with FIDO at the time of this book's
writing. The principles of FIDO's system organization differ from the ones
of the Internet. I never was FIDO member, so I know very little. In general,
it's free, amateurs' network that allows its members to exchange emails and
files. FIDO uses its own proprietary protocol. Special gateways are used to
exchange emails with the Internet. Look at www.fidonet.org for more
details... But be prepared to get back not the homepage, but some HTML code.
{G} The guys have forgot to put the {HTML} tag into the code of their main
page... OOPS.
4). The names.
The same name in Russian usually can have several forms, reflecting the
attitude of the one who pronounces the name to the one named. The number of
these forms is as far as I can judge, much bigger than in English. That's
why in my translation I preferred to retain the original rules of forming
such names and to provide this note. Another important reason is that the
Russian name changed according to the rules of doing so in English would
sound ridiculous (maybe for me only, as I'm Russian... ;-) ), not mentioning
that it's not always possible to do this with Russian names at all. Example:
John - Johnny. Now try to do the same with, say, my name: Yuri. Yup... My
point exactly. Below is the example of how the first name of the main
character allegra can be 'bent'. The same often happens to other names in the book.
For inexperienced reader it might be confusing, so I apologize... Russia
*is* confusing by definition, so bear with it. :-)
Leonid - the complete name.
Lenia (should be read roughly as Lyo-nee-aa; don't pronounce 'double
lettered' sounds as too long ones though) - this is slightly diminutive,
friendly form used by relatives and friends.
Lenechka (Lyo-nee-chka) - a "pet-name" form, sometimes also used with
sarcasm, depending on the context.
Lenchik - "pet-name"/unceremonious address.
Len'ka ( here ' means softening of the previous sound, 'n' in this name
sounds like 'n' in the word 'change') - Unceremonious address, a bit
slighting. Often used by close friends without any offensive context.
... and so on. No more forms are used in the book, so I'd better not
confuse you any more.
Another trick is how the names are formed n general. In particular, the
concept of the middle name in Russia. It is not 'given', but rather is the
father's name. To be used as a middle name, special endings are attached:
-ovich, -evich for man's middle name (yeah, they are gender specific!),
-ovna, evna for female's middle name.
Examples: Petrovich Alekseevich - men's
P |