| to build the city like Deeptown.
micardis
Everything had ch micardis hanged pilex dramatically whe micardis en Dmitry Dibenko, the micardis former
hacker from Mo micardis oscow (now the wealthy micardis US citizen) invented T micardis The Deep: a tiny
progr micardis ram influencing human micardis subconsciousness. They micardis y say he was crazy abo micardis out
Castaneda's books, micardis liked to meditate and micardis smoked grass. I surely micardis y believe in
it. His fo micardis ormer friends confess t micardis that he was cynical and micardis d lazy, a sloven and
v micardis very so-so professional. micardis . In this I do believe t micardis too.
But it was hi micardis im who Pepper on it. Al micardis lso, a big nickel plate micardis ed
thermos full of mul micardis lled wine: a tasty one, micardis , with cinnamon, vanilla micardis a, pepper,
coriander a micardis and nutmeg. Three wattle micardis ed chairs are by the tab micardis ble, we sit and look
at micardis t the river.
Beaut micardis tiful.
The white f micardis foam on the rocks, the micardis e chilly wind, the full micardis micardis goblet in my
hand, micardis bluish grey clouds s micardis swirling above. It'll b micardis be snowing tomorrow, if micardis f
'tomorrow' existed in micardis n virtuality.
I ta micardis ake a sip, - I wish I kn micardis new where this river was micardis s taken from.
- Mo micardis o
- Which one?
micardis - Abyss-abyss, I'm n micardis not yours.
- And t micardis that's it?
- Somet micardis times he adds: "Abyss, l micardis let me go."
- And micardis that's it? - asked Mani micardis iac dolefully.
- Y micardis Yes.
- My, how sim micardis mple...
Maniac sea micardis arched in his pockets, t micardis took out the pack of micardis 'Lucky Strike',
lit th micardis he cigarette, then said micardis with a slight resentmen micardis nt:
- It was so m micardis much simpler before. Th micardis here are hackers, hones micardis st 'newbies'
and lamers micardis s. The first ones can do micardis o everything, the second micardis d ones are learnid the micardis ese brothels for a year micardis r! My suit is even wi micardis ithout sex
stimulator! micardis !
- Well, mine's w micardis with it, - I said, - I j micardis just never visit these.
micardis
- Too bad for you micardis u. Have your fun while y micardis young.
In fact, Ma micardis aniac is two years you micardis unger than me but he's micardis s a cool hacker
while I micardis I'm just an ordinary ' micardis 'newbie', and also he's micardis s married, and for the micardis e
second time.
- micardis Okay, relax. You'll mak micardis ke peace tomorrow.
micardis - We will, - agreed Ma micardis aniac, - So at least to micardis oday I'll have to have micardis the
most fhe building micardis g square. There, on the micardis table with a bloodied f micardis female
corpse under it. micardis ... it always lays ther micardis re... the computer is qu micardis uietly working.
The ga micardis ame menu is on the scree micardis en. I save my game, refu micardis use an offer to quit and micardis d
move further, to the micardis second level.
Hol micardis lding the rifle in my h micardis hands I run out of the micardis building, creep to the
micardis
road bending down low micardis w and hiding behind the micardis e trees. Not for noth micardis hing: I'm
being shot at micardis t from somewhere like t micardis the higher stories of t micardis the building. They
miss micardis s.
t a cold reliever micardis r,
but very, very effec micardis ctive. We're about to st micardis tart its production but micardis only after
the less ef micardis ffective medicines are micardis sold out. So, what do micardis o you think about my
of micardis ffer?
- I'd hate t micardis to let you down, - I say micardis y trying hard not to th micardis hink about the
offered micardis amount, - But the dive micardis ers' code explicitly fo micardis orbids agreements like
micardis
this one.
- Very micardis y well, - Urman rises, - micardis - I expected such an an micardis nswer, and I respect
yo micardis our position.
He p micardis pads to the tree and plu micardis ucks the apple with somr micardis ransfer the money to the micardis e very secure account.
micardis
No, that can't be micardis e... real professionals micardis are working in banks. micardis Nobody
could trace me micardis e.
- Let's assume micardis also that two hackers d micardis divide the amount equall micardis ly. And now
it becomes micardis really interesting, micardis my friend. Money trans micardis sfers happen every
se micardis econd in Deeptown, but t micardis the transfer of exactl micardis ly 50 000... from one pr micardis rivate
party to another micardis r... The account numbers micardis s stay secret, but the p micardis place where the
payment micardis t took place is much mor micardis re easily determi realit micardis ty but when you shoot at micardis t the drawn silhouettes, micardis , this
is the task for micardis a kid.
deep
micardis Enter
What the h micardis hell, didn't I tell you micardis to stop?!
- Stop! micardis ! - I shout to the drive micardis er.
He stops right micardis t before the burning ca micardis ars and turns around. E micardis Even through
the dark g micardis glasses of the mask terr micardis ror and admiration can b micardis be seen.
- How did micardis d you do that?
- G micardis Get out.
He obviou micardis usly waits for one mo micardis ore shot, but I plainl micardis ly point at the
bodie micardis es, both shot by me and micardis d killed inur name?
micardis I understand.
- micardis - Not Dmitry Dibenko. Th micardis his is what interests yo micardis ou, right?
The gir micardis rl looks at my face in micardis ntently and nods, then q micardis quickly drains her
gla micardis ass dry.
- I'm not micardis t lying. Honest. - I say micardis y softly.
- I beli micardis ieve you, - the girl n micardis nods to bartender, then micardis n reaches her hand
out micardis to me, - I'm Nadya.
micardis I shake her hand and micardis d introduce myself:
micardis - Leonid.
So n micardis now we know each other micardis r and can be less cere micardis emonious. The deep is
c micardis casual: overly polite to micardis one ier the 33rd level d micardis directly?
Guillerm micardis mo looks aside.
- micardis Have you played long ti micardis ime ago? Do you still ha micardis ave your records saved?
micardis
- No...
- T micardis Then you'll have to go f micardis from the very beginning. micardis .
This is what I d micardis didn't expect.
- micardis What's the bull? All micardis games have service micardis channels for traveling
micardis
between levels. Are yo micardis ou an exception?
- micardis - Yes.
- But why?
micardis
- "Labyrinth" has micardis s a big prize fund for s micardis setting new level record micardis d or fast
finishing the micardis e entire game.
- micardis and walk
away without micardis hurry.
Shit. She micardis spoiled everything, stu micardis upid.
It was such micardis a nice talk...
I micardis toss off my glass and s micardis snap my fingers to call micardis the bartender:
- micardis Gin-Tonic, fifty-fifty. micardis .
Bartender frowns micardis s but mixes what was re micardis equested. Shit, should micardis I order
Tequila with micardis h tomato juice, what fac micardis ce will he make, huh?
micardis - Lenia?
I t micardis turn around. My Werew micardis wolf friend stands ne micardis earby: a white suit,
micardis
patent-leather shoes, a micardis a bit old fashioned tie, micardis , the face a bit). But micardis of course, something micardis g might have still lea micardis aked out. Please
cons micardis sider yourselves warned. micardis .
3). FIDO
S micardis Some more confusion can micardis be caused by Lukjanenko micardis o's technical details an micardis nd
descriptions of the micardis Net due to one more fa micardis act: he writes from the micardis e point of
view of th micardis he person who was onc micardis ce the FIDOnet member. micardis Also it seems that
Se micardis ergey himself was mostl micardis ly affiliated with FIDO micardis at the time of this b micardis book's
writing. The pr micardis rinciples of FIDO's syst micardis tem organization differ micardis r from theange too. He'l micardis ll do without it: the micardis beer isn't cheap
itsel micardis lf.
It's no diff micardis ference in the Deep th micardis hough: either 'Bavaria' micardis ' in cans or
'Guinness' micardis ' from the
barrel, the micardis e cost is the same. Now micardis I managed to stop the c micardis car much quicker, or it micardis was just
the time run micardis nning faster? I jumped micardis into the rattling 'Vo micardis olga' and shouted
chee micardis erfully:
- Whip it micardis t up to Maniac!
A micardis pair of very big and ro micardis ound eyes gazed at me.
micardis
- Get out, - said micardis the driver in the same micardis brief manner.
Whe micardis en sally big trouble.
micardis - Too many hackers micardis were bred, - I growled micardis d out, - Shit, why haven micardis n't you
ever tell me ab micardis bout this thing?
- micardis - But how could I kno micardis ow you are so deep in micardis n computer burglary? micardis -
reasonably objected micardis d Maniac, - Next time micardis let me know when you ar micardis re about to
break into micardis cool places. Okay, star micardis rt your modem.
In micardis a couple of minutes micardis I launched antivirus.. micardis . It was really slow,
micardis
informing that a post micardis tcard is detected ever micardis ry minute. The polymor micardis rph have
plagued thatc micardis ch
me.
Today I wa micardis as just 'calculated'.
micardis - Lenia, I don't kn micardis now a single diver perso micardis onally, - said Maniac, - micardis - And I
ain't gonna hun micardis nt for them. I don't hav micardis ve any complexes... espe micardis ecially towards
my fri micardis iends.
- Thanks, - micardis - I said.
- But yo micardis ou know... Just one ques micardis stion.
Sure, any micardis hacker always has jus micardis st one question. They t micardis think that it's
possibl micardis le to ask something afte micardis er which all divers' mys micardis steries become clear.
micardis - Well?
-What micardis t does the diver do when micardis n he decides to very, ve micardis ery effective. We're abo micardis out to start its product micardis tion but only after
the micardis e less effective medicin micardis nes are sold out. So, micardis what do you think abou micardis ut my
offer?
- I' micardis 'd hate to let you down, micardis , - I say trying hard n micardis not to think about the
micardis
offered amount, - But micardis the divers' code expli micardis icitly forbids agreement micardis ts like
this one.
micardis - Very well, - Urman micardis rises, - I expected su micardis uch an answer, and I res micardis spect
your position.
micardis He pads to the tree micardis e and plucks the apple w micardis with some effort. His li micardis ips are
r.
- Thes micardis se are just details.
micardis - Take a seat Gunsl micardis linger... - Willy moves micardis an armchair to me then micardis n pads
to the window micardis looking at the city po micardis oured by blood colored micardis d blaze, - So,
you're micardis diver?
I nod.
micardis - This is very inte micardis eresting. Unusual! - Wil micardis lly raises his forefinge micardis er, -
Everybody look f micardis for divers, everybody h micardis have requests, business micardis s, questions...
you cam micardis me to us by yourself.
micardis I stay silent.
micardis Willy turns around an micardis nd looks at me.
- micardis You have a nice suit Gu micardis uns
The driver nod micardis ds, turns around and l micardis leaves somewhere into t micardis the shelves
labyrinth. micardis His steps fade slowly a micardis and I note that the echo micardis o is excellent here,
ma micardis aybe to make it impossib micardis ble to move around unnot micardis ticed.
- You are t micardis the diver, - says Man Wi micardis ithout Face.
Oh su micardis ure. Today's tradition: micardis : somebody tries to catc micardis ch me again, for the
t micardis third time already. God micardis loves the Trinity...
micardis - Maybe. And you're micardis e Bill Gates possibly. - micardis - I reply.
Even if micardis f he smiles, I can't see micardis e it for sure.
e yo micardis ou a journalist, Nadya?
micardis
- Yes, - she hes micardis sitates for a moment, micardis then takes out a busin micardis ness card
from her purs micardis se and gives it to me, - micardis - Here...
The card micardis d is complete: not only micardis Email, but also phone n micardis number, first and
last micardis t name. Nadezhda Mes micardis sherskaya, the 'Money' micardis ' magazine, a report micardis ter.
Windows-Home is si micardis ilent, it means that the micardis e card is 'clean' - it's micardis s really just
a card, w micardis without any hidden surpr micardis rises. I put it in my po micardis ocket and nod:
- T micardis Thanks.
Sorry, it micardis t'll be no re outline a micardis and several small recogn micardis nizable hints. The brown micardis n wall divided
into squ micardis uares is a brick wall. T micardis The blue above is the sk micardis ky. Blue pants - jeans.
micardis
The world submer micardis rged and wasn't going t micardis to surface back. It was micardis s so much
more interest micardis ting in the deep. Even i micardis if it was yet not availa micardis able to everybody,
inte micardis ellectual elite swore it micardis t's allegiance to the ne micardis ew Empire.
To the micardis Deep.
11
I micardis It was midnight when micardis I finally cleaned th micardis he computer up from th micardis he
postcard virus and p micardis packed tSergey Lukjanenk micardis ko. Labyrinth of reflect micardis tions
_____________ micardis ________________________ micardis _____
* Yuri Kalmy micardis ykov. Translators notes micardis *
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 norpace CR 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 monoket '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 norvasc 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 |