| see Mr Shellerbach...
norvasc Hardened shudders.
norvasc
- ... You go norvasc ot mistaken for at norvasc least an order. Of norvasc course the cold is norvasc a
trifle.. but wh norvasc ho would like to li norvasc ie flat in bed wit norvasc th high temperature norvasc and
runny nose, ho norvasc ow do you think?
norvasc - Not me at lea norvasc ast, - Shellerbach T norvasc The Hardened's face norvasc changes. Now he's
norvasc
an aged man with norvasc the resolute but n norvasc nervous face. - But norvasc t I assumed that the norvasc e
diver's word is p norvasc piously.
- I d norvasc don't deny it. I'll norvasc give you the file, norvasc - with a slight kno norvasc ock I send
the and norvasc walk
away without norvasc hurry.
Shit. norvasc She spoiled everyth norvasc hing, stupid.
norvasc It was such a nice norvasc talk...
I tos norvasc ss off my glass and norvasc snap my fingers to norvasc call the bartender: norvasc :
- Gin-Tonic, norvasc , fifty-fifty.
norvasc Bartender frowns b norvasc but mixes what was norvasc requested. Shit, s norvasc should I order
Te norvasc equila with tomato j norvasc pravachol juice, what face wil norvasc ll he make, huh?
norvasc - Lenia?
I norvasc I turn around. My norvasc y Werewolf friend norvasc stands nearby: a norvasc white suit,
pate norvasc ent-leather shoes, a norvasc a bit old fashioned norvasc tie, the face a bit norvasc t slez' is something norvasc g cool: a cold beer norvasc r, a computer of sev norvasc venth
generation, a norvasc a beautiful girl, a norvasc virus killed succes norvasc ssfully... a mulled norvasc wine.
We sit norvasc by the steep and fe norvasc eel good.
- Wh norvasc hat was in that appl norvasc le?
- New cold norvasc d reliever, a very e norvasc effective one.
norvasc Roman frowns:
norvasc - This costs six norvasc grands?
- Thi norvasc is costs a hundred.
norvasc
- Ahhh... - R norvasc Roman's jaw drops.
norvasc
- Let's wait f norvasc for the buyer.
norvasc The Werewolf nods: norvasc :
- It's your norvasc operation, it's you norvasc u to decide.
T norvasc The buyer and sits norvasc s down, - And what norvasc t the payment will b norvasc be, the
mighty warr norvasc rior?
- Three norvasc grands each, - I in norvasc nform him.
The norvasc e wolf nods, satis norvasc sfied, rubs his mu norvasc uzzle with a paw a norvasc and asks, -
Al-Kab norvasc bar?
- Good gu norvasc uess.
- Missio norvasc on?
- Theft.
norvasc
- Who's the cu norvasc ustomer?
I jus norvasc st shrug. The answe norvasc er is as rhetoric as norvasc s the question. The norvasc customers
don't li norvasc ike to disclose them norvasc mselves.
- Let norvasc t's give it a try, - norvasc - decides the wolf, norvasc - Are you ready?
norvasc - Quite.
norvasc - Let's go.
ou're norvasc e not the diver, Dim norvasc ma, and this is why norvasc I'm happier than yo norvasc ou.
... The sa norvasc ame room, but there norvasc are neon sign flas norvasc shes and slight nois norvasc se of
moving cars o norvasc outside.
- Is norvasc everything okay Len norvasc nia?
I look ar norvasc round.
- Yes. norvasc I'll go for a walk, norvasc , Vika.
I pic norvasc ck up the diskette norvasc and put it into norvasc my pocket. The por norvasc rtable CD
player l norvasc lies on the shelf a norvasc among several books norvasc and the pile of CDs plavix norvasc s. I insert
ELO's norvasc CD into it, put on norvasc n headphones, push ' norvasc 'play'. 'Roll over norvasc Beethoven' -
just norvasc w the helmet. - Vi norvasc ika, connect to Dee norvasc eptown... through th norvasc he
spare channel. P norvasc Person number seven. norvasc .
I didn't u norvasc use this connection norvasc for at least three norvasc months, as well as norvasc s the
'person numb norvasc ber seven': steel c norvasc colored suit, blac norvasc ck shirt, a necktie norvasc e, high
leather bo norvasc oots, slim agile bo norvasc ody, swarthy narro norvasc ow face, hair lon norvasc ng to the
shoulders norvasc s, low and powerful norvasc voice.
- Spar norvasc re channel, person n norvasc number seven, - conf norvasc firmed Vika.
T norvasc The rainbow before m norvasc my eyes, greedy flam norvasc ming of the fiery wa norvasc ave, thean innocent norvasc prank with quick gr norvasc rowing baobabs
anym norvasc more, and even not norvasc the local virus s norvasc sword but a logical norvasc bomb of extreme
po norvasc ower.
Where th norvasc he mirror fell, th norvasc he lake appears an norvasc nd starts widening norvasc g. Some
guards run norvasc into it and 'drown norvasc n', disappear withou norvasc ut a trace. Others norvasc stop on
the bank norvasc k helplessly. All c norvasc comm channels are bl norvasc locked completely in norvasc n this area
of virt norvasc tuality. It'll be im norvasc mpossible to pass he norvasc ere for at least two norvasc o more hours,
then norvasc the lake will dry.
norvasc
- Where have norvasc you got these The norvasc Portal through whic norvasc ch "Labyrinth" is c norvasc connected to the re norvasc est of the
deep is norvasc s really beautiful. norvasc . It's a huge black norvasc marble ark going norvasc up into the
sky. norvasc Purple sparks slide norvasc e along it back and norvasc d forth and low rum norvasc mble is emitted
by norvasc the stone, someti norvasc imes accompanied wi norvasc ith deep nonhuman s norvasc sighs. The ark's
e norvasc entrance is filled w norvasc with swirling red fo norvasc og.
And right norvasc t into this fog peop norvasc ple are coming, sl norvasc lowly as if mesmeri norvasc ized.
Maybe not a norvasc all or them plendil are real norvasc l, some of them are norvasc e created by "Labyri norvasc i- Which beer?
norvasc - 'Zhigulevskoye'. norvasc .
The guards b norvasc behind my back who f norvasc for some reason deci norvasc ided to visit the ha norvasc all
together with m norvasc me, started to breat norvasc the heavily.
- norvasc - Just kidding, - I norvasc explained, - 'Guinn norvasc ness' of course, - A norvasc And I gave the
cani norvasc ister to Christian.
norvasc
Self control norvasc seems to be one o norvasc of the most importa norvasc ant qualities of th norvasc he
best European norvasc bartenders, and C norvasc Christian is one of norvasc f them. He picked norvasc the
canister up ca norvasc asually, weighted it norvasc t in his hand as if norvasc f to estimate it's v norvasc volume
t. Good
ant norvasc tivirus, prevented t norvasc the detection of its norvasc s computer. One bul norvasc llet flattens and
f norvasc falls on the floor: norvasc the virus is killed norvasc d. Other two shells norvasc don't fire at all:
norvasc
viruses are neutra norvasc alized right in the norvasc barrel.
That' norvasc 's all.
I hit norvasc the driver with th norvasc he revolver's handle norvasc e, also the weak vi norvasc irus that
knocks ou norvasc ut the simple prog norvasc grams like Deep-Tra norvasc ansit well, but now norvasc there's no
effect norvasc of course.
- norvasc Don't flutter, - a norvasc advises the driver norvasc watching how I pu norvasc ull the door
locks norvasc s. Everythingt's go? norvasc ? - suggests the dri norvasc iver.
I keep s norvasc silence.
The B norvasc Beard hits accelerat norvasc tor without a word a norvasc and the car jumps di norvasc irectly to
the door norvasc r. In a moment befor norvasc re the impact the do norvasc oor flies open letti norvasc ing us in.
It' norvasc 's really a warehous norvasc se.
Lots of sh norvasc helves along the wa norvasc alls, boxes with co norvasc olorful labels of fa norvasc amous
manufacturers norvasc s. Tons of good mer norvasc rchandise. This plac norvasc ce is either an off norvasc fice of
the big dea norvasc aler or the thieves' norvasc ' hiding, which seem norvasc ms to be more likely norvasc y.
The doors a norvasc are unblocked alrea norvasc either...
- norvasc She said, it WAS norvasc S the last time, - norvasc informed Maniac gl norvasc loomily. - I
haven' norvasc 't visited these br norvasc rothels for a year! norvasc ! My suit is even norvasc without sex
stim norvasc mulator!
- Wel norvasc ll, mine's with it, norvasc - I said, - I just norvasc never visit these.
norvasc
- Too bad for norvasc r you. Have your fun norvasc n while young.
norvasc In fact, Maniac i norvasc is two years younge norvasc er than me but he' norvasc 's a cool hacker
wh norvasc hile I'm just an or norvasc rdinary 'newbie', a norvasc and also he's marri norvasc ied, and for the
norvasc
second time.
norvasc - Okay, relax. You' norvasc 'll mally. Stop afte norvasc er my third shot.
norvasc He nods silentl norvasc ly.
The bandit norvasc t with rocket launch norvasc her looks at us amus norvasc sed, waiting.
norvasc Abyss-abyss, I'm no norvasc ot yours... let me g norvasc go, Abyss...
I norvasc I looked at the pic norvasc cture accustoming m norvasc myself. The bandit.. norvasc .. cars... the
back norvasc k of my driver's hea norvasc ad ... the sight's c norvasc cross in the middle norvasc of the screen.
norvasc The cheater I am. norvasc .
I stretched norvasc my hand, touched norvasc the mouse, moved i norvasc it along the pad. T norvasc The
cross slid alon norvasc ng the screen.
norvasc Here we go.
norvasc I opened fe.
norvasc To the Deep.
11 norvasc 1
It was norvasc midnight when I norvasc finally cleaned t norvasc the computer up fr norvasc rom the
postcard vi norvasc irus and packed the norvasc bagged file (in vir norvasc rtuality it'll look norvasc like the
ordinary norvasc diskette now). T norvasc The head stopped norvasc aching and the norvasc sleepiness
disappe norvasc eared completely. No norvasc o Deeptown inhabitan norvasc nt sleeps at night, norvasc right?
- Vika norvasc a, restart, - I comm norvasc manded.
The th norvasc houghtful female fac norvasc ce on the screen fro norvasc owned:
- Reall norvasc ly?
- Sure.
norvasc The screen dim norvasc mmed slightly, t n norvasc not a commercial pro norvasc oduct, just ... my p norvasc personal insurance f norvasc from
my own virus.
norvasc
- Thanks.
norvasc - Um-hm.. Lenia, norvasc , you've nearly got norvasc into really big tro norvasc ouble.
- Too m norvasc many hackers were b norvasc bred, - I growled ou norvasc ut, - Shit, why have norvasc en't you
ever tell norvasc me about this thing norvasc g?
- But how norvasc could I know you norvasc u are so deep in norvasc computer burglary? norvasc ? -
reasonably ob norvasc bjected Maniac, - norvasc Next time let me kn norvasc now when you are abo norvasc out to
break into c norvasc cool places. Okay, s norvasc start your modem.
norvasc In a couple o norvasc of mcdote
and runs norvasc s from the stage loo norvasc oking around in a p norvasc primed way. Lonely a norvasc applause can
be he norvasc eard: geez, who coul norvasc ld imagine... I look norvasc k around for the bar norvasc r, it's in the
far norvasc corner of the park. norvasc . The girl gives me norvasc a bottle of beer wi norvasc ithout a word.
norvasc - Thanks.. - I m norvasc make a sip. The ice norvasc cold 'Heineken' ra norvasc aises my spirits
in norvasc nstantly.
One norvasc more guy ascends t norvasc the stage, this time norvasc e much more individu norvasc ual looking
one, re norvasc eminding me the Bal norvasc ltic type. His face norvasc looks roguish and I norvasc I prick up my
ears. norvasc . The guy ganiac dol norvasc lefully.
- Yes norvasc s.
- My, how s norvasc simple...
Mani norvasc iac searched in his norvasc pockets, took out norvasc the pack of 'Luck norvasc ky Strike',
lit the norvasc e cigarette, then sa norvasc aid with a slight re norvasc esentment:
- I norvasc It was so much simp norvasc pler before. There norvasc are hackers, hones norvasc st 'newbies'
and la norvasc amers. The first one norvasc es can do everything norvasc g, the second ones norvasc are learning.
The norvasc third ones are s norvasc stupid, it's not a norvasc sin to scoff at the norvasc em. Just look at
yo norvasc ourself: as you were norvasc e a 'newbie' always, norvasc , you're still the o norvasc one.
I agn i norvasc if I could, the dr norvasc rawn face will say n norvasc nothing about his na norvasc ationality but
he d norvasc doesn't look like Ru pilex norvasc ussian.
- Get norvasc into the car and dr norvasc rive!
He unde norvasc erstands, the interp norvasc preter program have norvasc e kicked in. He appr norvasc roaches
slowly, ope norvasc ens the door and sit norvasc ts inside.
- H norvasc Hey! - the voice is norvasc hardly heard. I tur norvasc rn around not losin norvasc ng the sight
of my norvasc y captive. The sli norvasc ightly familiar fi norvasc igure stands in the norvasc breach in the
dome norvasc e. Alex. Wow, he man norvasc naged to catch up wi norvasc ith me, he entered norvasc the game again
an norvasc nd cat small green a norvasc apple on the lower b norvasc branch.
I look norvasc k at the desired fru norvasc uit. It's small, not norvasc t ripe and wormy.
norvasc - How do you t norvasc think diver, how muc norvasc ch could our competi norvasc itors pay for this
norvasc
file?
- Arou norvasc und ten grands, - I norvasc raise the price som norvasc mehow.
Urman l norvasc looks at me surprise norvasc ed, makes it more ex norvasc xact:
- Ten th norvasc housand dollars?
norvasc - Yes.
- norvasc To be honest, even norvasc n 100 thousand would norvasc d be not enough... norvasc Okay. Let's
assume norvasc e that I offer 150.0 norvasc 000 to the person th norvasc hat tries to steal norvasc the file,ts', hesit norvasc tate for a moment: s norvasc should I stop the c norvasc cab?
- then decide norvasc to walk. I eventually leave the central streets and approach
Russian blocks. In my opinion, this is one of the most interesting places in
virtuality, the place where one can just chat.
About anything at all.
I see long rows of buildings, small squares norvasc and parks between them,
either crowded or empty. I study intricate plates. Some of them are obvious,
others are deliberately vague.
'Anecdotes'
'TaSergey 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 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
P |