| d me.
- Vika, drop the monoket details! - I whispe monoket er trying to reach t monoket the table. I wish
t monoket the program would un monoket nderstand and obey w monoket without more questio monoket ons...
The pa monoket avilion changes. Or monoket rnaments are gone, monoket , the flowers lose b monoket buds and
some smal monoket ll leafs, the textur monoket re of Urman's shirt monoket t becomes rough. But monoket t I manage
to reac monoket ch my toys on the ta monoket able and grab the monoket e handkerchief. Thes monoket se personal
hygien monoket ne thingies are very monoket y useful.
One monoket wave of the handk monoket kerchief, slow as monoket if underwater, and monoket d the shiny
pla wai monoket it for you on this t monoket table, - says Man Wi monoket ithout Face, - You'l monoket ll
get it... in cas monoket se of your success.
monoket
I nod silentl monoket ly.
- Note th monoket hat there'll be othe monoket er aspirants, - info monoket orms Man Without Fac monoket ce, -
We're lookin monoket ng for divers every monoket ywhere in the deep, monoket , and will find man monoket ny, and
will tell t monoket them the same I've t monoket told you.
- Wh monoket hat's there, in "Lab monoket byrinth"? - I ask t monoket turning my gaze awa monoket ay from the
Medal.
monoket
- I have no i monoket idea. This is what w monoket worries me.
I monoket allow myself to smi monoket irk, tell me that yo monoket ou one: the progra monoket am
glitches again. monoket Ah well, I'll fix i monoket it later.
Putt monoket ting the helmet o monoket on is the same as t monoket to enter the hot o monoket oven. Those
Al-Kaba monoket ar's fouls surroun monoket nded themselves w monoket with the most u monoket uncomfortable
condi monoket itions...
Agai monoket in I was looking at monoket the virtual world, monoket but it is yet too m monoket much like a
cheap c monoket cartoon: a grainy monoket image, a nice but monoket rough drawing. Com monoket mputers can't
handl monoket le anything better.
monoket
And that's ok monoket kay. What is the dee monoket ep without the human monoket n after all?
I monoket I blinkedth trained monoket d aides and say : ' monoket 'Ummm.. what if we monoket drop an H-bomb at
monoket
Los Angeles?'
monoket The game have chan monoket nged a little last y monoket year, now one has t monoket to start it as a
li monoket ieutenant being in monoket n command of a s monoket small regiment in monoket tactic battles,
monoket
submitting to some monoket ebody else's orders monoket s and to rise slowl monoket ly up the hierarchy monoket y
until he reaches monoket the rank of the Chi monoket ief Commander of his monoket s country. Now there monoket e's
a possibility o monoket of coups, betrayal, plavix monoket , guerilla war 'ag monoket gainst everybody'.. monoket .. I
don't know, t monoket the game have byou? monoket All
you need to monoket do is just to conce monoket entrate... and off y monoket you are, back home. monoket ... to
disconnect m monoket manually.
Um-h monoket hm. Thanks for th monoket he tip. It'll be th monoket he moment of connec monoket ction being
closed monoket when I'll be traced monoket d...
- In 24 monoket hours, when the saf monoket fety timer snaps int monoket to action on my comp monoket puter,
- I shout, monoket - your perfect id monoket dea will crumble and monoket d you'll be sorry monoket of your
stupidity! monoket ! I'm an honest guy, monoket , I pay the taxes! I monoket I'll stir up all the monoket e Deeptown
police!
monoket
- Maybe, but monoket unlikely, - says monoket ality... who don' monoket 't yet
realize the monoket e little fact that monoket there's nothing norpace CR new monoket w under the sky. One monoket e have to
spend not monoket t more than half an monoket hour here to believ monoket ve: Cain killed Abe monoket el only for
the lat monoket tter's love to tell monoket the old {'long bear monoket rded'} anecdotes...
monoket
Despite the w monoket whistles and shouts monoket the guy finishes t monoket telling his anecdot monoket te
and runs from th monoket he stage looking aro monoket ound in a primed wa monoket ay. Lonely applause monoket can
be heard: gee monoket ez, who could imagin monoket ne... I look around monoket for the bar, it's i monoket in the
far corner o monoket of the peast commiss monoket sar if he has a
r monoket rainbow badge.
monoket - Oh great, go ahe monoket ead... - I say in a monoket cheerless voice, - monoket I knew that all
co monoket ops are ass holes, b monoket but not to this exte monoket ent..
- Just l monoket listen to me for the monoket e start.
- Wha monoket at else is left for monoket me to do? - I shout monoket t, - What?!
I monoket pull out the revolv monoket ver and thrust all s monoket six bullets into th monoket he door. Six
ricoc monoket chets. The boxes wit monoket th software on the s monoket shelves start to blo monoket ow up and burn.
The monoket e sprinkles on the monoket ceiling come to li monoket ife with a hissing s monoket sound and viruapons, monoket , defense gear, fir monoket rst-aid sets and foo monoket od in
the station b monoket building. When one l monoket leaves the first lev monoket vel, he gets to the monoket second
one: the hi monoket ighway full of aban monoket ndoned cars... and monoket of course, of other monoket r players
and mons monoket sters. In order to monoket win one must reach monoket h the 50th level, t monoket the ancient
cathedr monoket ral in the downtown monoket n and to destroy the monoket e alien ruler. It's monoket very hard. I
did i monoket it before but since monoket then "Labyrinth" h monoket have changed at lea monoket ast ten times:
new monoket w buildings, weapon monoket ns and monsters wer monoket re added. And of cou monoket uam is destroyed - t monoket the hair above the c monoket chasm would break.
monoket
- Fuck.
monoket - I can't understan monoket nd...
- Shut u monoket up....
I exami monoket ine the monster. T monoket The stone eyelids monoket half closed, littl monoket le drool
stalactite monoket e hangs from its monoket mouth. Just a fa monoket ake, entourage for monoket r nervous
virtuali monoket ity people. Just an monoket ordinary security monoket program on the serv monoket ver gateway. norvasc
Somewh monoket here inside the hair monoket r is the communicat monoket tion channel with Al monoket l-Kabar block.
The monoket signals circulate a monoket along, ordering to monoket let pass or to cras monoket sh the .
- Thi monoket is is very interest monoket ting. Unusual! - Wil monoket lly raises his foref monoket finger, -
Everybod monoket dy look for divers, monoket , everybody have req monoket quests, business, q monoket questions...
you ca monoket ame to us by yoursel monoket lf.
I stay sil monoket lent.
Willy tu monoket urns around and look monoket ks at me.
- Yo monoket ou have a nice suit monoket Gunslinger, - he sa monoket ays, - It'd be good monoket to add...
a small monoket l cap to it. A small monoket l gray cap.
I monoket see. A simple test. monoket .
- Vika...
monoket Willie smiles: monoket it's the same litt monoket tle trick as was do monoket one by Man Without
monoket
Face, I'm ter ha monoket ave loaded the new p monoket portion of
viruses monoket into my revolver do monoket oesn't reveal the di monoket iver in me.
Th monoket he driver thinks for monoket r a while.
- L monoket Let's delay shooting monoket g a little, okay?
monoket I shrug indefin monoket nitely. The Beard sa monoket ays soothingly:
monoket - We've arrived.
monoket
The car reall monoket ly stops by the unf monoket familiar building: t monoket the gray cube withou monoket ut
windows, with monoket the only door, ve monoket ery wide like in th monoket he garage and heav monoket vily
armored as if monoket in warning - it'll monoket be tough to enter u monoket uninvited. Usually monoket these
buildings h monoket so fast?
- I monoket didn't manage it. T monoket This is my virus, bu monoket uddy.
I could monoket dn't find anything b monoket better than to mumb monoket ble, "Well... sorry monoket about
that..."
monoket Maniac, in the monoket real life just Sash monoket ha {Alexander}, was monoket deadly serious:
monoket - You what, have monoket e stolen a program f monoket from them?
- N monoket Not exactly... But i monoket in general yes, this monoket s was hidden in the monoket file...
- Hav monoket ve you contacted any monoket ybody via modem? I monoket mean, since you rec monoket ceived the
file.
monoket - No.
- L monoket Lucky you, - informe monoket ed Maniac, - You see monoket e, thi immersion? monoket - came out of th monoket he
speakers.
monoket - No. Hold on.
monoket In the real worl monoket ld my room is the s monoket same as in the vir monoket rtual space. The
d monoket difference is though monoket h: it's not a warm monoket m Deeptown's summer monoket evening behind the
monoket
windows but the ra monoket ainy St. Peterburgh monoket autumn. It's drizzl monoket ling outside, the ca monoket ar
honks in the dis monoket stance. I opened th monoket he fridge and took monoket a can of Sprite. Le monoket et's
really drink.. monoket .. I couldn't resis monoket st the urge to loo monoket ok from the balcon monoket ny. Of
course, the monoket empty can that I th monoket hrew out intt there monoket is heavy weaponry i monoket in the station build monoket ding
somewhere but monoket never bothered to c monoket check.
- What monoket will we do? - asks monoket my prisoner.
monoket One should be an i monoket idiot to try to fig monoket ght the gang like th monoket his alone, it's
eas monoket sier to submit yours monoket self and sacrifice monoket some of your weapo monoket ons hoping to be
l monoket let go after that.
monoket
- Slow down gr monoket radually. Stop after monoket r my third shot.
monoket He nods silently monoket y.
The bandit monoket with rocket launche monoket er looks at us amuse monoket ed, waiting.
A monoket Abyss-abyss, I'm not monoket t yours... let me i monoket into unpleasant
sid monoket des of the Company's monoket s life but Guillermo monoket o has a 'good nose' monoket for troubles and
m monoket methods of overcomin monoket ng them.
- monoket You'll sign a sing monoket gle-time contract? monoket - his tone becomes monoket quick and
busine monoket ess-like.
- Ye monoket es.
- Complete monoket e nondisclosure of monoket the situation, - monoket he adds, - with monoket all
possible pena monoket alties.
- Yes. monoket ...
- Please G monoket Gunslinger, - he poi monoket ints at his table. I monoket I pad closer being monoket sure
that it'll be monoket e now when I'll sign monoket n the cooperation do monoket ocuments but Willy monoket pointhey are volun monoket nteer helpers, or po monoket olicemen. Have you s monoket set
your timer?
monoket - Yes, sure! For monoket r two hours!
- monoket - Very good. Spend monoket 15 minutes to tal monoket lk to the porter and monoket d you'll save
much monoket h more. Happy sailin monoket ng!
- Happy sa monoket ailing! - says admir monoket red novice behind me monoket e. It's so nice to b monoket be an
old-timer...
monoket
I wink to t monoket the porter and nod t monoket towards 'Stallone' i monoket in case he'll be to monoket oo
shy to ask for h monoket help himself and lea monoket ave the hotel. I rai monoket ise monoket my hand and the monoket cab
stops immediat monoket tely: this is not re monoket eality...
es... No, monoket , not talking, it'd monoket be better
to say monoket growling to each monoket other. I knew two monoket o of them, other monoket three were
unfami monoket iliar. A little pa monoket ack of smaller carn monoket nivores. They'd eag monoket gerly rip the
lone monoket er apart in a dark monoket corner but here I'm monoket m safe: carnivores d monoket don't hunt near
th monoket heir den.
- Hi monoket i, - said the guy wh monoket ho lives in the apar monoket rtment above mine, i monoket in the same
type of monoket f studio, together w monoket with his parents an monoket nd older sister who monoket o often comes
back monoket only by the mornin monoket ng. Walls and ceilin monoket ngs in this houseut monoket on the helmet. - V monoket Vika, connect to De monoket eeptown... through t monoket the
spare channel. monoket Person number seven monoket n.
I didn't monoket use this connection monoket n for at least three monoket e months, as well a monoket as the
'person num monoket mber seven': steel monoket colored suit, bla monoket ack shirt, a neckti monoket ie, high
leather b monoket boots, slim agile b monoket body, swarthy narr monoket row face, hair lo monoket ong to the
shoulder monoket rs, low and powerful monoket l voice.
- Spa monoket are channel, person monoket number seven, - con monoket nfirmed Vika.
monoket The rainbow before monoket my eyes, greedy fla monoket aming of the fiery w monoket wave the right, behi monoket ind the shelf with M monoket Mac software. Illiqu monoket uid stuff,
only a monoket few people now monoket use these compute monoket ers. There were monoket humans and
Neande monoket erthals, then IBM an monoket nd Apple. Stub evolu monoket ution branches aren' monoket 't viable. The
smal monoket ll table piled with monoket papers is behind t monoket the shelves, two ch monoket hairs by it. We
si monoket it down.
- Inv monoket visible Boss is the monoket tale of the same monoket e times. - says Ma monoket an Without
Face. - monoket Boss was the higher monoket r step in Fidonet monoket hierarchy. It was b monoket boss to whom
those monoket who wanted to beco monoket ome pointsdowntown, monoket in a good brick hou monoket use, with the view t monoket to the Neva river. monoket ... not in
this proletarian district, rotten and blown through by all winds.
Then we'll move Vika into new 'apartments': I'll buy the new 'Septium'
brand name, with preloaded licensed software, with a couple of hundreds Megs
of RAM... with the 1000 Terabyte holographic HD, cordless modem and
super-sensitive Siemens microphone... with a color printer, Dunn what for,
but let it be, a decent scanner insteadSergey 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 pilex 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 middle name.
Examples: Petrovich Alekseevich - men's
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