| ermo
to do it. - Can you summon your divers h innoPran XL here?
- They are not online innoPran XL e now.
It's understandable innoPran XL too, if they really tried to innoPran XL get Unfortunate out
for whole 2 innoPran XL 24 hours then they must simply s innoPran XL sleep sluggishly now, one of the innoPran XL em
in Ukraine, the other one in innoPran XL Canada. Maybe they curse aloud i innoPran XL in their sleep.
- Okay, - I innoPran XL I decide. - Is it possible to ent innoPran XL ter the 33rd level directly?
innoPran XL Guillermo looks aside.
- innoPran XL - Have you played long time ago? innoPran XL Do you still not less than me, b innoPran XL but mayng? Or
just lead your dis innoPran XL ssolute life and smoke the gras innoPran XL ss as much as you want? Or
wand innoPran XL der along Deeptown's streets al innoPran XL ll around the clock looking innoPran XL at your
creation?
I wish innoPran XL h I knew that, but - not to be i innoPran XL in your shoes, because you're no innoPran XL ot
more than the ordinary virt innoPran XL tuality inhabitant, even with al innoPran XL ll your millions
and Octium prot innoPran XL totype as a home computer. The De innoPran XL eep holds you as tightly as
a innoPran XL any provincial programmer from innoPran XL Russian remote who saves money innoPran XL for months
just to visitbefore innoPran XL e me is not the one it's worthy innoPran XL y to
bluff with.
- Very innoPran XL little. I was informed that the innoPran XL ere's a problem in "Labyrinth",
innoPran XL
that your divers failed to solv innoPran XL ve it. I was asked to render an a innoPran XL assistance to
you.
A pause innoPran XL e again. I'm anonymous and it's innoPran XL s risky to let me into unpleasant innoPran XL t
sides of the Company's life bu innoPran XL ut Guillermo has a 'good nose' fo innoPran XL or troubles and
methods of overc innoPran XL coming them.
- You'll s innoPran XL sign a single-time contract? - h innoPran XL his tone becomes quick and
bus innoPran XL siness-like.
existent restauran innoPran XL nt, having nonexistent drink,
innoPran XL
hundreds of computers burn innoPran XL up energy, processors heat u innoPran XL up in effort,
megabytes of sen innoPran XL nseless data are pumped over t innoPran XL the phone lines back and
for innoPran XL rth...
- Data is never sens innoPran XL seless.
- Yes, maybe, - Nad innoPran XL dya glances at me quickly, - Let' innoPran XL 's better call it not
topical on innoPran XL ne. And what, is this really a ne innoPran XL ew era of the world's technology? innoPran XL ?
- But what did you ex innoPran XL xpect? The file exchange and d innoPran XL discussions of
processors' qual innoPran XL littie a patterned belt around, innoPran XL hang a short sword in a
sheath innoPran XL on it, put several little thi innoPran XL ings in pockets. I made this innoPran XL cache
several days ago, illeg innoPran XL gally using one of the computers innoPran XL s belonging to the
Transcaucas innoPran XL sian Railroad's transportation innoPran XL department. The programmers ar innoPran XL re
weak there, they will not not innoPran XL tice this little invasion for a l innoPran XL long time.
- Where's the st innoPran XL tream? - I ask.
- To the ri innoPran XL ight.
I bend over running w innoPran XL water and look at my reflection innoPran XL n, hit it with my
ha
- O innoPran XL Okay.
We shake hands and innoPran XL walk side by side. The bloody innoPran XL fog envelops us,
nothing can innoPran XL be seen around anymore. The voic innoPran XL ce comes from the sky:
- Yo innoPran XL our entrance mode?
- Pair e innoPran XL entrance! - says Alex, - Alex and innoPran XL d Gunslinger!
- Pair entran innoPran XL nce, - I repeat, - Gunslinger and innoPran XL d Alex!
The fog dissipates innoPran XL s slightly. We're standing by t innoPran XL the section car that
rests on innoPran XL the rusted rails. Two overalls innoPran XL are scattered on it together wi innoPran XL ith
two mask helmets and two g innoPran XL guns. All ermo speaks Russian hi innoPran XL imself. One starts feel different innoPran XL t towards the
guy immediately.
innoPran XL
- Let's be honest, okay? - innoPran XL I offer. Willy-Guillermo knits innoPran XL his brow and
nods. - I'm diver. innoPran XL .
- Yes?- inquires Willy innoPran XL politely - And what is that?
innoPran XL I smile in return and say:
innoPran XL - I think that your Ukrania innoPran XL an and Canadian employees would e innoPran XL explain that
to you quicker. I m innoPran XL mean the divers working on perman innoPran XL nent contract with you.
Wil innoPran XL lly looks at me silently for a lo innoPran XL ong time, then nods:
- I he innoPran XL e end of each level where there' innoPran XL 's an option to save their
coor innoPran XL rdinates and to exit to the outer innoPran XL r deep, to exit in order to retur innoPran XL rn later.
But sometimes the innoPran XL ere are optimists that decide to innoPran XL o pass "Labyrinth" in
one atte innoPran XL empt to repeat that very first l innoPran XL legendary submersion into virtual innoPran XL lity.
They break the security ti innoPran XL imer, sometimes by themselves, so innoPran XL ometimes using some
hacker's pro innoPran XL ogram, they cut off their guarant innoPran XL teed retreat and dive to the very innoPran XL y
bottom.
It's the diver innoPran XL rs who drag them tte now). Th innoPran XL he head stopped aching and innoPran XL the sleepiness
disappeared com innoPran XL mpletely. No Deeptown inhabitant innoPran XL sleeps at night, right?
- innoPran XL Vika, restart, - ened in "Labyri innoPran XL inth"...
I fall silent a innoPran XL and wait for his reaction. Willy innoPran XL y is obviously deep in
thought.
innoPran XL
- Accident? - he nods to innoPran XL owards the window, - We have innoPran XL thousands of
accidents here ev innoPran XL very day. War! Shooting! Cheerful innoPran XL lness!
Was Man Without Face innoPran XL e really mistaken? I start feel innoPran XL ling myself like an
idiot.
innoPran XL - Yoman drinking. But he just
innoPran XL
makes a wry face, wipes his li innoPran XL ips and returns the glass. Maybe innoPran XL he's alcoholic in reality?
innoPran XL I Dunn.
We hide from ea innoPran XL ach other not less than from ou innoPran XL ur enemies. We're too
valuable innoPran XL e merchandise: a depth fish, frea innoPran XL aks shimmering with a magic glow, innoPran XL , any
shark dreams to try our ta innoPran XL aste...
- Did you manage to innoPran XL o get the apple out? - asks Roman innoPran XL n.
- It's fine, - I fling m innoPran XL my jacket open and flop on the sh innoPran XL hirt's pocket, -
the trade artic innoPran XL cle's in place.
The W - innoPran XL Have you played long time ago? D innoPran XL Do you still have your records sa innoPran XL aved?
- No...
- Then innoPran XL you'll have to go from the very innoPran XL beginning.
This is what I innoPran XL didn't expect.
- What's t innoPran XL the bull? All games have ser innoPran XL rvice channels for traveling
be innoPran XL etween levels. Are you an excepti innoPran XL ion?
- Yes.
- But why innoPran XL y?
- "Labyrinth" has a big innoPran XL prize fund for setting new level innoPran XL l record or fast
finishing the e innoPran XL entire game.
- I remember, innoPran XL but... is it a big fund?
- innoPran XL - The main pri
more interesting innoPran XL g in the deep. Even if it was yet innoPran XL t not available to everybody,
in innoPran XL ntellectual elite swore it's alle innoPran XL egiance to the new Empire.
innoPran XL To the Deep.
11
It innoPran XL was midnight when I finally innoPran XL cleaned the computer up from innoPran XL m the
postcard virus and packed innoPran XL the bagged file (in virtuality i innoPran XL it'll look like the
ordinary di innoPran XL iskette now). The head stopp innoPran XL ped aching and the sleepiness innoPran XL s
disappeared completely. No Dee innoPran XL eptown inhabitant sleeps at night innoPran XL t, right?
- Vika, restart, innoPran XL - ened in "Labyrinth"...
I innoPran XL I fall silent and wait for hi innoPran XL is reaction. Willy is obviously d innoPran XL deep in
thought.
- Acciden innoPran XL nt? - he nods towards the wind innoPran XL dow, - We have thousands of
innoPran XL
accidents here every day. War! S innoPran XL Shooting! Cheerfulness!
Was innoPran XL s Man Without Face really mistak innoPran XL ken? I start feeling myself lik innoPran XL ke an
idiot.
- Your divers innoPran XL s... - I start. - Did they mana innoPran XL age their duties yesterday
for innoPran XL instance?
This is the onl innoPran XL ly thing I know: "Labyrinth"'s d innoPran XL divers hadn't justifieker from M innoPran XL Moscow (now the wealthy US citiz innoPran XL zen) invented The Deep: a tiny
innoPran XL
program influencing human su innoPran XL ubconsciousness. They say he was innoPran XL s crazy about
Castaneda's books innoPran XL s, liked to meditate and smoked innoPran XL d grass. I surely believe in
it. innoPran XL . His former friends confess tha innoPran XL at he was cynical and lazy, a s innoPran XL sloven and
very so-so profession innoPran XL nal. In this I do believe too.
innoPran XL But it was him who gave rise innoPran XL e to the deep. Ten second clip d innoPran XL displayed on
the screen is harml innoPran XL less by itself. If shown on TV (I innoPran XL I heard it certain problem which innoPran XL h I want to help "Labyrinth" to s innoPran XL solve.
I see his eyebrows r innoPran XL raised in surprise.
- Recen innoPran XL ntly a strange accident have happ innoPran XL pened in "Labyrinth"...
I innoPran XL fall silent and wait for his innoPran XL reaction. Willy is obviously dee innoPran XL ep in
thought.
- Accident? innoPran XL ? - he nods towards the window innoPran XL w, - We have thousands of
ac innoPran XL ccidents here every day. War! Sho innoPran XL ooting! Cheerfulness!
Was M innoPran XL Man Without Face really mistaken innoPran XL n? I start feeling myself like innoPran XL an
idiot.
- Your diversat innoPran XL ting system restart. My machine i innoPran XL is just Pentium, not
a 'seriou innoPran XL us' one but I still can't make up innoPran XL p my mind to substitute it with innoPran XL a
newer computer. It's reliabl innoPran XL le enough.
- Good evening L innoPran XL Lenia, - said Vika, - I'm ready f innoPran XL for work.
- Thanks. Connect innoPran XL t to Deeptown... use the regular innoPran XL channel.
Modem chirped dia innoPran XL aling, I put the helmet on and sa innoPran XL at down.
- 28800 connection innoPran XL n, the channel is stable, - said innoPran XL Vika.
- Turn the Deep on.
innoPran XL
- Done.
Light blue o innoPran XL on the screen, flas to try to con innoPran XL nvince Guillermo
to do it. - Can innoPran XL n you summon your divers here?
innoPran XL - They are not online now.
innoPran XL
It's understandable too, if innoPran XL f they really tried to get Unf innoPran XL fortunate out
for whole 24 hours innoPran XL s then they must simply sleep sl innoPran XL luggishly now, one of them
in U innoPran XL Ukraine, the other one in Canada. innoPran XL . Maybe they curse aloud in their innoPran XL r sleep.
- Okay, - I decide innoPran XL e. - Is it possible to enter the innoPran XL 33rd level directly?
Guill innoPran XL lermo looks aside.
- Have y innoPran XL you played long time ago? Do you innoPran XL still not less than me, but mayb innoPran XL be he has a huge family? Or may innoPran XL ybe
Roman really is alcoholic wh innoPran XL ho squanders grands in just weeks innoPran XL s?
There's a small stone h innoPran XL hut behind us: this is how the r innoPran XL restaurant looks
like from this innoPran XL side. We walk along the path slo innoPran XL owly, sipping our drinks.
- innoPran XL - Do you like pepper vodka? - I a innoPran XL ask the Werewolf incidentally.
innoPran XL - Yes.
It's said dryly innoPran XL y and without further comments innoPran XL s. I wish I knew who you
really innoPran XL y are, Roman.
But it's impo innoPran XL ossible: virtuality is crue
* innoPran XL * Yuri Kalmykov. Translators note innoPran XL es *
About the Author:
innoPran XL Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, is innoPran XL one of the today's most popul innoPran XL lar Russian
Sci-Fi writers. Hi innoPran XL is first works were published innoPran XL d in 1988. Currently his
bibli innoPran XL iography includes ismo more than 40 ti innoPran XL itles of novels and short storie innoPran XL es. The
Author defines his genr innoPran XL re as the "hard action science innoPran XL fiction", but all his
works als innoPran XL so have a very well defined philo innoPran XL osophical aspect. The novel offe innoPran XL ered
to your attention was writt innoPran XL ten in 1997 androuter, the last o innoPran XL one to remain intact and cancele innoPran XL ed my access. Then I
canceled my innoPran XL y temporary address in Austria.
innoPran XL
The main threads are broke innoPran XL en. Try to find me now Al-Kabar innoPran XL guys, filter
all files in searc innoPran XL ch for Ivan The Prince. innoPran XL The dive innoPran XL er have broke free from the
trap innoPran XL p.
Not using the voice con innoPran XL ntrol anymore, I shut Windows-Hom innoPran XL me down, entered
3D Norton's ta innoPran XL able, opened disk D: where all m innoPran XL my virtual trophies are stored
t innoPran XL together with a small viruses innoPran XL collection. Here it is, my app innoPran XL pleSergey Lukjanenko. Labyrinth o innoPran XL of reflections
_____________ innoPran XL ____________________________
innoPran XL
* Yuri Kalmykov. Translators n innoPran XL notes *
About the Author:
innoPran XL
Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, innoPran XL is one of the today's most po innoPran XL opular Russian
Sci-Fi writers. innoPran XL 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 isordil 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 lanoxin
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, isoptin 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 |