| f the helmet, gr ismo rabbed the ismo mouse, lau ismo unched 'Bi ismo ioconstruct ismo tor',
hast ismo tily opene ismo ed the 'Cl ismo lothing' w ismo window, the ismo en 'Headge ismo ear', foun ismo nd somethi ismo ing
lookin ismo ng like ber ismo ret or cap. ismo . Then I fi ismo illed it wi ismo ith steel g ismo gray color ismo and hooked ismo d
it on my ismo y figure, p ismo person numb ismo ber seven, ismo Gunslinger ismo r...
ismo deep
ismo Enter
ismo Beret i ismo is on my he ismo ead. I'm n ismo not sure wh ismo hether it's ismo s what Mr ismo Aguirre wa ismo anted
or n ismo not but he ismo looks sati ismo isfied.
ismo - We va ismo alue the ismo divers' w ismo work. - s ismo says Willy. ismo . - But ismo our perma ismo anent
empl ismo loyees quit ismo te m- But m ismo maybe it's ismo better to ismo o... you
k ismo know, a war ismo rm sand, a ismo Hawaiian b ismo beach and s ismo some Chilea ismo an Red [win ismo ne]?
ismo Nadya smil ismo les:
ismo - This won ismo n't be work ismo k anymore ismo Lenia. The ismo e evening ismo beach and ismo the wine.. ismo ..
then I' ismo 'll want c ismo continuatio ismo on. But v ismo virtual sex ismo x is funny ismo y only if y ismo you're at
ismo
home, beh ismo hind the ti ismo ightly shut ismo t door. I c ismo connected ismo from work: ismo : six compu ismo uters in
o ismo one room ismo and all ismo are occupi ismo ied. Just i ismo imagine how ismo w will I lo ismo ook like f ismo for my
col ismo lleagues.
ismo
She's ismo s absolute ismo ely sincer ismo re and clev ismo ver. Good g ismo girl at
le ismo east). But ismo t of cour ismo rse, somet ismo thing migh ismo ht have sti ismo ill leaked ismo d out. Pl ismo lease
cons ismo sider yours ismo selves warn ismo ned.
ismo 3). FIDO
ismo
Some ismo more confu ismo usion can b ismo be caused b ismo by Lukjanen ismo nko's techn ismo nical detai ismo ils and
de ismo escriptions ismo s of the Ne ismo et due to ismo one more f ismo fact: he w ismo writes from ismo m the point ismo t of
view ismo w of the ismo person wh ismo ho was onc ismo ce the FIDO ismo Onet membe ismo er. Also it ismo t seems th ismo hat
Sergey ismo y himself w ismo was mostly ismo y affiliate ismo ed with FID ismo DO at the ismo time of t ismo this book's ismo s
writing. ismo . The prin ismo nciples of ismo FIDO's sys ismo stem organ ismo nization di ismo iffeinto th ismo he bag that ismo t stayed
h ismo here from ismo previous ismo apartment ismo owners (I ismo I never ha ismo ave time t ismo to get ri ismo id of
gar ismo rbage) and ismo walked out ismo t.
My ismo y, how muc ismo ch cleaner ismo and neat ismo ter my stai ismo ircase in ismo virtuality ismo y is! And
ismo
unlike he ismo ere, no ete ismo ernal smell ismo l of floode ismo ed basement ismo t and stray ismo y cats!
ismo Having ismo left the s ismo side street ismo ts I stoppe ismo ed by the ismo road and r ismo raised my h ismo hand;
I h ismo had to sta ismo and like t ismo that for q ismo quite a t ismo time. Fina ismo ally one j ismo junky 'Lad ismo da'
condes ismo scended to ismo stop.
ismo - To the ismo e 'Kredo-Ba ismo ank', - I s ismo said.
ismo Ason't h ismo have time ismo to copy ismo the data ismo from the ismo apple
com ismo mfortably ismo and to di ismo issolve in ismo the thin ismo n air after ismo rwards. We ismo must run ismo and
tangl ismo le our trac ismo ces.
ismo My partner ismo r in the wo ismo olf's hide ismo can do it ismo perfectly. ismo .
We ismo rush acr ismo ross the d ismo desert, the ismo en turn i ismo into the f ismo forest. Th ismo he blurry
ismo
shadows ru ismo un behind - ismo - the guard ismo ds sacrific ismo ce their sc ismo cary images ismo s for speed ismo d.
- ismo Is the pur ismo rsuit close ismo e, Ivan The ismo e Prince? - ismo - asks the ismo wolf .
ismo - Very ismo close! - I ismo I confess.
ismo
- Ge ismo ee, I'll ne ismo ever get yo ismo ou outta he ismo ere GB, - h ismo he answers ismo with taste ismo e,
- Infor ismo rmation can ismo n be stolen ismo n. How do y ismo you think, ismo will the ismo solid top ismo corporate
ismo
manager ismo or Arabian ismo n sheikh be ismo e happy if ismo f some tab ismo bloid publi ismo ishes an ismo article
a ismo about their ismo r adventure ismo es in the d ismo drawn world ismo d?
- ismo And what's ismo s so bad?
ismo
- For ismo r you - not ismo thing. The ismo ordinary p ismo person will ismo l laugh. Bu ismo ut solid ismo people
li ismo ike little- ismo -little whe ismo en they are ismo e laughed a ismo at.
- ismo - Can you c ismo cut him off ismo f manually? ismo ?
- H ismo How?
ismo How, reall ismo ly? Even if ismo f they trac ismo ce the line ismo e using whi ismo ich the pla ismo ayertures'
ismo
'Str ismo range place ismo e'
'O ismo Oats growin ismo ng!'
ismo 'Books'
ismo 'Marti ismo ial arts'
ismo
Peopl ismo le come her ismo re to discu ismo uss the ce ismo ertain topi ismo ics, this i ismo is the ec ismo cho of
pr ismo re-virtual ismo isoptin age. More ismo e serious c ismo clubs are l ismo located fur ismo rther, whe ismo ere one can ismo n get
an a ismo advice on ismo technical ismo questions ismo s, to arg ismo gue about ismo software ismo or even b ismo buy
pirate ismo ed programs ismo s cheap. Al ismo ll that is ismo of a littl ismo le interest ismo t for me.
ismo
I ent ismo ter the lit ismo ttle park ismo with the ismo plate 'Ane ismo ecdotes' on ismo n the gates ismo s. This
pl ismo lace is al ismo lways crowd ismo ded, noisy ismo y ana, are ismo e you int ismo terrupting ismo the imme ismo ersion? - ismo came out ismo t of the
ismo
speakers.
ismo
- No ismo o. Hold on. ismo .
In ismo the real ismo world my r ismo room is th ismo he same as ismo in the v ismo virtual sp ismo pace. The
ismo
difference ismo e is though ismo h: it's no ismo ot a warm ismo Deeptown's ismo s summer ev ismo vening behi ismo ind the
wi ismo indows but ismo the rainy ismo St. Peterb ismo burgh autum ismo mn. It's dr ismo rizzling ou ismo utside, the ismo e car
honk ismo ks in the d ismo distance. I ismo I opened t ismo the fridge ismo and took ismo a can of S ismo Sprite. Let ismo t's
really ismo y drink... ismo I couldn' ismo 't resist ismo the urge t ismo to look f ismo from the b ismo balcony. Of ismo f
course, ismo ther apart ismo t in a dar ismo rk corner b ismo but here I' ismo 'm safe: ca ismo arnivores d ismo don't hunt ismo near
the ismo eir den.
ismo - Hi, ismo - said the ismo e guy who l ismo lives in th ismo he apartmen ismo nt above mi ismo ine, in the ismo e same
typ ismo pe of studi ismo io, togethe ismo er with his ismo s parents ismo and older ismo sister wh ismo ho often co ismo omes
back ismo only by t ismo the morning ismo g. Walls an ismo nd ceilings ismo s in this h ismo house are ismo thin enoug ismo gh
for me ismo to be well ismo l posted on ismo n all their ismo r troubles ismo and quarre ismo els.
ismo - Hi, - I ismo said.
ismo - Lenia, ismo , do you ha ismo ave cigaret ismo ttes?
ismo I'm at le ismo east 15 yea ismo ars older ismo than him, ismo but these ismo guyoking a ismo at
unsucce ismo essful solu ismo utions and ismo frown find ismo ding some i ismo ideas he mi ismo issed himse ismo elf. Right
ismo
since the ismo e Moscow Co ismo onvention t ismo that resig ismo gned with t ismo the inevita ismo able and le ismo egalized
t ismo the produc ismo ction of n ismo nonfatal v ismo viruses, h ismo he speciali ismo izes in mak ismo king them. ismo . His
vir ismo ruses are ismo excellent ismo t, capable ismo e of free ismo ezing any ismo y computer ismo r, but ne ismo ever
destr ismo roying the ismo data.
ismo But Mani ismo iac called ismo in three m ismo minutes.
ismo - Visi ismo ited Al-Kab ismo bar, huh? - ismo - asked he ismo in a honey ismo y sweet voi ismo ice.
ismo - Yes. - i ismo it made no ismo sense to l ismo lie, - You ismo mannough.
ismo
- Go ismo ood evening ismo g Lenia, - ismo said Vika, ismo , - I'm rea ismo ady for wor ismo rk.
- ismo - Thanks. C ismo Connect to ismo Deeptown.. ismo .. use the ismo regular ch ismo hannel.
ismo Modem c ismo chirped dia ismo aling, I pu ismo ut the helm ismo met on and ismo sat down.
ismo
- 28 ismo 8800 connec ismo ction, the ismo channel is ismo s stable, - ismo - said Vika ismo a.
- ismo Turn the D ismo Deep on.
ismo - Done ismo e.
Li ismo ight blue o ismo on the scre ismo een, flash, ismo , then - co ismo olorfulness ismo s.
Ho ismo ow did yo ismo ou manage ismo to creat ismo te the dee ismo ep program ismo m, Dima? ismo With your
ismo
shattered ismo d mentality ismo y, basic k ismo knowledge i ismo in psychol ismo logy, and ismo no ave no ismo choice Pet ismo ter..
ismo He gives ismo up. I kno ismo ow his real ismo l name whil ismo le he doesn ismo n't know mi ismo ine. The ba ismo ank
will n ismo never give ismo me away, ismo even if th ismo he Internat ismo tional Jury ismo y states t ismo that I'm a ismo a
man-eate ismo er and is g ismo guilty of ismo genocide. ismo That's wha ismo at the nega ismo ative inte ismo erest is
ismo
paid for: ismo for comple ismo ete safety. ismo .
- F ismo Fifty to ea ismo ach of you. ismo . I make a ismo gesture of ismo f a good wi ismo ill, Mr Div ismo ver!
ismo - Excellen ismo nt.
S ismo Several sec ismo conds - and ismo d a hundred ismo d of grands ismo s flow into ismo o my accoun ismo nt. This is ismo s
much, ve ismo ery much! M ismo Many years ismo of serene ismo lifng left ismo t the side ismo streets I ismo stopped by ismo y the road ismo d and raise ismo ed my hand; ismo ;
I had t ismo to stand ismo like that ismo for quite ismo e a time. ismo . Finally ismo one junky ismo y 'Lada'
ismo
condescend ismo ded to stop ismo p.
- ismo To the 'Kr ismo redo-Bank', ismo , - I said. ismo .
As ismo strange as ismo s it seems, ismo , the drive ismo er knew the ismo e way.
ismo In aroun ismo nd 20 minut ismo tes, parted ismo d with the ismo remains of ismo f my cash I ismo I was enter ismo ring
the ismo palace of ismo f hidden an ismo nd evident ismo capitals ismo under glas ismo ssy stares ismo of securit ismo ty
guards. ismo .. In 20 m ismo minutes mor ismo re, filled ismo d with vari ismo ious checku ismo ups, numer ismo rous phone
ismo
canter, ismo not the KG ismo GB, - he an ismo nswers with ismo h taste,
- ismo - Informati ismo ion can be ismo stolen. Ho ismo ow do you t ismo think, will ismo l the soli ismo id top corp ismo porate
man ismo nager or A ismo Arabian she ismo eikh be ha ismo appy if so ismo ome tabloid ismo d publishes ismo s an arti ismo icle
about ismo t their adv ismo ventures in ismo n the drawn ismo n world?
ismo - And ismo what's so ismo bad?
ismo - For you ismo u - nothing ismo g. The ordi ismo inary perso ismo on will lau ismo ugh. But s ismo solid peop ismo ple
like l ismo little-litt ismo tle when th ismo hey are lau ismo ughed at.
ismo
- Can ismo n you cut h ismo him off man ismo nually?
ismo - How?
ismo
How, ismo , really? E ismo Even if the ismo ey trace th ismo he line usi ismo ing ed tomo ismo orrow. Neve ismo ermind. Goo lasix ismo od if I man ismo nage to liv ismo ve until
t ismo tomorrow at ismo t all.
ismo And here ismo e are the w ismo welcomers - ismo - now in th ismo he normal h ismo human form. ismo .
- Y ismo You reached ismo d us quick, ismo , guest, - ismo says the b ismo bald one. ismo He has a ismo friendly
ismo
face of an ismo n Arabic gu ismo uard from t ismo the product ismo tion of "Si ismo indbad The ismo Sailor" do ismo one for
ki ismo ids. The ismo second on ismo ne looks g ismo grotesquely ismo y Arabic t ismo too, but ismo is much ismo more
sini ismo ister, he f ismo flashes his ismo s eyes and ismo holds the ismo e sword han ismo ndle tightl ismo ly. Oh grea ismo at,
the on ismo nly thing I ismo I ever miss ismo sed is the ismo battle vir ismo rus e has a ismo a scar on h ismo his cheek ismo and decaye ismo ed teeth. I ismo It's not a ismo program
o ismo obviously, ismo it's a rea ismo al person.
ismo
- St ismo top the car ismo r.
- ismo That's aga ismo ainst the r ismo rules, - th ismo he driver g ismo grins steer ismo ring carele ismo essly.
ismo {The who ismo ole scene h ismo hints to an ismo nother Russ ismo sian hit mo ismo ovie called ismo d "The Diam ismo mond
Hand" ismo ", released ismo d in 1968. ismo . It's a ismo great come ismo edy about ismo a modest a ismo aged Sovie ismo et
enginee ismo er who we ismo ent to the ismo e sea crui ismo ise abroad ismo for the ismo first tim ismo me and was
ismo
confused ismo (and mispl ismo laced) with ismo h a jewelry ismo y smugglers ismo s' courier. ismo .}
Uh ismo h-ohlding, ismo creep to t ismo the
road ismo bending do ismo own low an ismo nd hiding b ismo behind the ismo trees. N ismo Not for no ismo othing: I'm ismo m
being sh ismo hot at from ismo m somewhere ismo e like the ismo e higher st ismo tories of ismo the buildi ismo ing. They
ismo
miss.
ismo Most lik ismo kely it's a ismo a human, mo ismo onsters are ismo e dumb but ismo keen.
ismo The squa ismo are is full ismo l of sligh ismo htly dusty ismo but quite ismo e operable ismo e cars. Th ismo heir
owner ismo rs had boar ismo rded that ismo train... ismo I'm hiding ismo g behind t ismo the boxy a ismo and crumple ismo ed
Ford an ismo nd wait.
ismo I alwa ismo ays wait he ismo ere...
ismo In aroun ismo nd five m ismo minutes a ismo human da ismo ashes out ismo ofork any ismo ymore Leni ismo ia. The ev ismo vening beac ismo ch and the ismo wine...
t ismo then I'll w ismo want conti ismo inuation. ismo But virtu ismo ual sex is ismo funny onl ismo ly if you'r ismo re at
hom ismo me, behind ismo the tightl ismo ly shut doo ismo or. I conne ismo ected from ismo m work: six ismo x computers ismo s in
one ismo room and ismo all are ismo occupied. ismo Just imagi ismo ine how wil ismo ll I look ismo like for m ismo my
colleag ismo gues.
She's absolutely sincere and clever. Good girl, I really hope she's
just as open and bright in reality too.
I nod, - Good luck then.
- Thanks, oh mysterious Anonymous lanoxin , - Nad? - asks my prisoner.
One should be an idiot to try to fight the gang like this alone, it's
easier to submit yourself and sacrifice some of your weapons hoping to be
let go after that.
- Slow down gradually. Stop after my third shot.
He nods silently.
The bandit with rocket launcher looks at us amused, waiting.
Abyss-abyss, I'm not yours... let me go, Abyss...
I looked at the picture accustoming myself. The bandit... cars... the
back of my driver's hre account.
No, that can't be... real professionals are working in banks. Nobody
could trace me.
- Let's assume also that two hackers divide the amount equally. And now
it becomes really interesting, my friend. Money transfers happen every
second in Deeptown, but the transfer of exactly 50 000... from one private
party to another... The account numbers stay secret, but the place where the
payment took place is much more easily determined. Do you follow my thought?
Sergey Lukjanenko. Labyrinth of reflections
________________________________________
* Yuri Kalmykov. Translators notes *
About the Author:
Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, is one of the today's ismo 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 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 isordil middle name.
Examples: Petrovich Alekseevich - men's
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