| ittle aside.
The guy dressed in jeans beconase AQ s and snow white shirt climbs beconase AQ on the small
wooden stage. He' beconase AQ 's absolutely featureless. The beconase AQ audience glances at him
lazi beconase AQ ily.
- Once Shtirlitz have beconase AQ left his house... - starts the g beconase AQ guy.
{ A side note. Shtirl beconase AQ litz is the main character of ver beconase AQ ry popular Russian
13 episode 1 beconase AQ 1972 TV series about the Soviet beconase AQ t spy in Nazi headquarters. The
beconase AQ
story takes place in Februa beconase AQ ary-April 1945. Shtirlitz inve beconase AQ estigates the
attempts of flonase the beconase AQ separag overalls,
the standard beconase AQ d players' uniform, clarinex with carbine beconase AQ e in his hands. His muzzle has
beconase AQ
absolutely 'impenetrable' expre beconase AQ ession, he stands motionless like beconase AQ e a statue. Is
he a human or beconase AQ not? It's foolish to ask, a beconase AQ at least because one can't
dis beconase AQ stinguish well made program fro beconase AQ om a human at once. I pass the g beconase AQ guard and
find myself in a sma beconase AQ all hall. The bright sunlight b beconase AQ beams through windows,
small t beconase AQ tables and soft armchairs stand beconase AQ along the walls. More solid tab beconase AQ ble is
in the center of th..
beconase AQ I turned the computer on, co beconase AQ onnected to the Internet and t beconase AQ transferred
$5000 to my St. P beconase AQ Petersburg account without any beconase AQ virtuality, just in 10
minute beconase AQ es. Then I checked my wardrobe, beconase AQ chose the decently fresh shirt a beconase AQ and old
but clean jeans, put my beconase AQ passport and Visa card in the p beconase AQ pocket. What else? Ah
yes... the beconase AQ e beer.
The shabby 5 liter beconase AQ beconase AQ r canister was standing sadly beconase AQ on the balcony. I
unscrewed beconase AQ the cap and sniffed inside: it beconase AQ t smelled of soured 'Zhigulevsko beconase AQ oe'
{classic Right darkens in beconase AQ my
eyes for the moment, but it' beconase AQ 's only a moment. Nevermind, it h beconase AQ happens.
- Are you okay, Le beconase AQ enia?
The speakers are set beconase AQ for the full volume, I frown and beconase AQ d say:
- Yes.. Lower the vo beconase AQ olume.
- Lower the volume.. beconase AQ .. lower... lower... - agrees Win beconase AQ ndows-Home .
- Enough, Vika beconase AQ a. {complete form: Victoria, neve beconase AQ er used in the novel}
Good beconase AQ program, docile, quick-witted a beconase AQ and friendly one. Not without t beconase AQ too
much self confidence, as a beconase AQ any Microsoft product, but I have beconase AQ e tidea will crumble and you'll beconase AQ be sorry of your
stupidity! I' beconase AQ 'm an honest guy, I pay the taxes beconase AQ s! I'll stir up all the Deeptown
beconase AQ
police!
- Maybe, but unl beconase AQ likely, - says Man Without Fac beconase AQ ce, - Well, if we are
convince beconase AQ ed that you're the honest hacker, beconase AQ , - the great amount of sarcasm i beconase AQ is in
his last words, - then we' beconase AQ 'll have no grudges against you.
beconase AQ
- You'll be caught! - I beconase AQ threaten him, - And then - ex beconase AQ xcommunication
forever!
Ex beconase AQ xcommunication is the most dread beconase AQ dful threat for any Deethe distan beconase AQ nce.
Abyss-abyss... I'm not beconase AQ t yours...
I closed and ope beconase AQ ened back my eyes. The picture is beconase AQ s before me: the chasm,
the thr beconase AQ read, the buildings in the dist beconase AQ tance. Just funny... Looking wh beconase AQ here I
step, I started to shift beconase AQ my feet along the thread careful beconase AQ lly.
It's just a picture. I beconase AQ It's no gravity there, the drawn beconase AQ body can't have a
center of gr beconase AQ ravity. Just step on the thread beconase AQ and everything will be okay...
beconase AQ
Funny thing, as it turned out, beconase AQ , the bottom of the chasm is not beconase AQ drawn at aiative, - answers Guil beconase AQ llermo with
dignity, - The situa beconase AQ ation isn't critical yet.
O beconase AQ Of course he's right but I get a beconase AQ a slight, vague anxiety. Who is h beconase AQ he, the
player gotten into troub beconase AQ ble, US President, the Pope, Dmit beconase AQ try Dibenko?
- Who is he? - beconase AQ - I ask aloud. Guillermo shrugs.
beconase AQ
- This is unknown.
- beconase AQ - You don't control your users?
beconase AQ
- We're an entertainment ce beconase AQ enter, not the KGB, - he answers beconase AQ s with taste,
- Information can beconase AQ be stolen. How do you think, wil beconase AQ ll the solid top corporate
maoy beconase AQ yed the best beer
invented in beconase AQ this sinful world. Then I too beconase AQ ok my canister from the merry
beconase AQ
bartender (Europe! One can't beconase AQ t affect him so easily), and beconase AQ after short
hesitation took beconase AQ the change too. He'll do withou beconase AQ ut it: the beer isn't cheap
its beconase AQ self.
It's no difference beconase AQ in the Deep though: either 'B beconase AQ Bavaria' in cans or
'Guinness' f beconase AQ from the
barrel, the cost is th beconase AQ he same. Now I managed to stop th beconase AQ he car much quicker, or it was ju beconase AQ ust
the time running faster? I beconase AQ I jumped into the e diver in me. beconase AQ .
The driver thinks for a w beconase AQ while.
- Let's delay shooti beconase AQ ing a little, okay?
I shrug beconase AQ g indefinitely. The Beard says so beconase AQ oothingly:
- We've arrived. beconase AQ .
The car really stops by beconase AQ the unfamiliar building: the gra beconase AQ ay cube without
windows, with beconase AQ the only door, very wide like beconase AQ e in the garage and heavily
ar beconase AQ rmored as if in warning - it'll b beconase AQ be tough to enter uninvited. Usu beconase AQ ually these
buildings hide eith beconase AQ her banal consumer goods warehou beconase AQ uses or luxury apartments
inside beconase AQ e.
around the city, or to go beconase AQ to an entertainment
center.
beconase AQ The Deep-Transit's cab stops beconase AQ by me, I open the door and get i beconase AQ inside. The
driver is of some ab beconase AQ bsolutely new type, never seen be beconase AQ efore: the bearded man in
ripped beconase AQ d T-shirt and tattoos on his beconase AQ shoulders. Does he imitate Pu beconase AQ unk or
something?
- The c beconase AQ car will arrive shortly, - inform beconase AQ ms Windows-Home.
Now I re beconase AQ ealize that the driver haven' beconase AQ 't even told the traditional
g beconase AQ greeting; that we're moving alrea beconase AQ ady even if I haven't told e new beconase AQ legend was born.
- Which o beconase AQ one?
- About Man Without Fa beconase AQ ace.
My interlocutor shakes beconase AQ s his head.
- Hardly will beconase AQ it be so intriguing as the y beconase AQ youth dressed in smoking
clothe beconase AQ es...
We both laugh quietly beconase AQ y.
- So Mr Diver... have yo beconase AQ ou ever played in the 'Labyrinth beconase AQ of Death'?
- Possibly.
beconase AQ - Do you know that two divers beconase AQ s cooperate with them?
- I beconase AQ can assume that.
Even two? beconase AQ ? I was sure that 'Labyrinth' man beconase AQ nages with only one rescuer..
beconase AQ - I can giv15 minutes to ta beconase AQ alk to the porter and you'll sav beconase AQ ve
much more. Happy sailing!
beconase AQ - Happy sailing! - says admir beconase AQ red novice behind me. It's so nic beconase AQ ce to be an
old-timer...
I beconase AQ I wink to the porter and nod to beconase AQ owards 'Stallone' in case he'll beconase AQ be too
shy to ask for help hims beconase AQ self and leave the hotel. I raise beconase AQ e my hand and the cab
stops imme beconase AQ ediately: this is not reality...
beconase AQ
- Deep-Transit is glad to beconase AQ welcome you, Gunslinger! - says beconase AQ the driver.
- To "Labyrint beconase AQ th of Death", administrative buil beconase AQ ldi having nonexistent drink,
beconase AQ
hundreds of computers burn u beconase AQ up energy, processors heat up beconase AQ p in effort,
megabytes of sens beconase AQ seless data are pumped over th beconase AQ he phone lines back and
fort beconase AQ th...
- Data is never sense beconase AQ eless.
- Yes, maybe, - Nady beconase AQ ya glances at me quickly, - Let's beconase AQ s better call it not
topical one beconase AQ e. And what, is this really a new beconase AQ w era of the world's technology?
beconase AQ
- But what did you exp beconase AQ pect? The file exchange and di beconase AQ iscussions of
processors' quali beconase AQ ity? We're humans afterbasic know beconase AQ wledge in psychology, and no k beconase AQ knowledge in
neurophysiology? W beconase AQ What helped you?
Now, when beconase AQ you're rich and famous, what beconase deltasone AQ are you trying to do? To
u beconase AQ understand how it dawned upon y beconase AQ you or to invent something more beconase AQ amazing? Or
just lead your diss beconase AQ solute life and smoke the grass beconase AQ s as much as you want? Or
wande beconase AQ er along Deeptown's streets all beconase AQ l around the clock looking a beconase AQ at your
creation?
I wish beconase AQ I knew that, but - not to be in beconase AQ n your shoes, because you're not beconase AQ t
more th.
He gives up. beconase AQ I know his real name while he do beconase AQ oesn't know mine. The bank
will beconase AQ never give me away, even if the beconase AQ e International Jury states that beconase AQ t I'm a
man-eater and is guilty beconase AQ y of genocide. That's what the n beconase AQ negative interest is
paid for: beconase AQ : for complete safety.
- Fi beconase AQ ifty to each of you. I make a ges beconase AQ sture of a good will, Mr Diver!
beconase AQ
- Excellent.
Several beconase AQ seconds - and a hundred of grand beconase AQ ds flow into my account. This is
beconase AQ
much, very much! Many years of beconase AQ serene life in virtuality.
, beconase AQ thanks.
I paid him, got beconase AQ out of the car and went toward beconase AQ ds my house feeling
inflated beconase AQ like a balloon. Now I have to e beconase AQ either fall asleep submitting mys beconase AQ self
to the morning hangover o beconase AQ or to submerge into the deep: i beconase AQ it cures hangover
well.
O beconase AQ On the second floor of the stair beconase AQ rcase where the light is on alwa beconase AQ ays for
some reason, five teens beconase AQ s were sitting, playing cards beconase AQ right on the floor,
talking ab beconase AQ bout something in dimmed voices. beconase AQ ... No, not talking, it'd be bett beconase AQ ter
to say growliricks" I
whis beconase AQ sper:
- Vika, turn the deep beconase AQ p on.
Fiery sparks befor beconase AQ re my eyes. Yes, do I a beconase AQ abuse turning the
subconscious beconase AQ sness on-off today. Severe he beconase AQ eadache, heartbeat and general beconase AQ l
feel-down are guaranteed tomor beconase AQ rrow. Nevermind. Good if I manage beconase AQ e to live until
tomorrow at all. beconase AQ .
And here are the welcomer beconase AQ rs - now in the normal human form beconase AQ m.
- You reached us quick, beconase AQ guest, - says the bald one. He beconase AQ e has a friendly
face of an Arab beconase AQ bic guard from the production of beconase AQ "Sindb Something having no an beconase AQ nalogies?
Very odd.
I beconase AQ I dried myself, threw the towel i beconase AQ into the bowl with laundry, retur beconase AQ rned to
the room, turned the com beconase AQ mputer on and started to pull on beconase AQ the virtual suit.
- Good e beconase AQ evening Lenia, - said Vika.
beconase AQ - Hi old girl.
Female fac beconase AQ ce is smiling on the screen. No, beconase AQ possibly I'm wrong, I need to
s beconase AQ set the different reaction to 'o beconase AQ old girl' - slight resentment, beconase AQ pouting, a
look cast slightly beconase AQ aside.
- Any mail?
- beconase AQ - Seven letters.
- Re - he beconase AQ e shouts. Hm, he's really Balt beconase AQ tic unless it was my
subconsciou beconase AQ usness that made me hear the ac beconase AQ ccent. - 'Lithocomp' company i beconase AQ is
honored to offer you the lowe beconase AQ est prices for the following...
beconase AQ
A-haaa... no questions.
beconase AQ I look at the booth too: th beconase AQ he moderator's hiding place. Ever beconase AQ ry club has
the person who watch beconase AQ hes the talks to correspond to t beconase AQ the declared topic. The
questi beconase AQ ion is though: is moderator on du beconase AQ uty now or will react later?
beconase AQ He's here.
The booth's d beconase AQ door opens and saw a TV set.
beconase AQ - Virtuality must NOT be an a beconase AQ artificial substitution of reali beconase AQ ity, - says
Nadya with convictio beconase AQ on.
- Yes, sure. Let's turn beconase AQ n the paupers and miserable ones beconase AQ into information
storage, let's beconase AQ s become impulses in the electron beconase AQ nic network...
- Leonid, yo beconase AQ ou know the teaching of Alexandri beconase AQ ians through hearsay only. -
say beconase AQ ys Nadya with conviction, - Come beconase AQ visit our Church some time.
beconase AQ I shrug. Possibly I will som beconase AQ me time, but there's plenty of in beconase AQ nteresting
places in the deep. T beconase AQ TheSergey Lukjanenko. Labyrinth o beconase AQ of reflections
_____________ beconase AQ ____________________________
beconase AQ
* Yuri Kalmykov. Translators n beconase AQ notes *
About the Author:
beconase AQ
Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, beconase AQ is one of the today's most po beconase AQ opular Russian
Sci-Fi writers. beconase AQ 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 claritin 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 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 |