| you really like it?
- There's a rea sorbitrate al life for all that.
- sorbitrate But does it coincide in rea sorbitrate ality often enough? Here it's sorbitrate s enough to
just open the d sorbitrate door, - I point at the smal sorbitrate ll door in the corner of t sorbitrate the
'Japanese' part of the h sorbitrate hall, - and all that will be sorbitrate there. Or, didn't you
ever sorbitrate wish to stand in the forest sorbitrate clearing in the chilly autum sorbitrate mn morning, by
the steep rive sorbitrate er bank drinking hot mulled w sorbitrate wine from the round goblet... sorbitrate . and
with nobody around?...
sorbitrate
- The owner of th momen sorbitrate nt, kick me out of the block, sorbitrate ,
but this will give them not sorbitrate thing... all thingies-programs sorbitrate s that I have will be
invoked sorbitrate d immediately. A little will sorbitrate remain for examination. Bu sorbitrate ut I'm very
interesting to t sorbitrate them, no doubt...
- The sorbitrate first router is traced, - inf sorbitrate forms Windows-Home.
Pret sorbitrate tty quick. I shake my head an sorbitrate nd at this moment the opposite sorbitrate e armchair
is not empty anymo sorbitrate ore.
Mr Friedrich Urma sorbitrate an neglects Arabic coloring sorbitrate g, he wears blinders,
vari sorbitrate iegated shirt; an aged, lean a sorbitrate and with rose colored coquina. sorbitrate . It looks peacefully and
nea sorbitrate at, more like a residential bu sorbitrate uilding than an office. Maybe sorbitrate American middle
class famili sorbitrate ies use to live in houses lik sorbitrate ke this. Labyrinth entrance is sorbitrate s a bit
further and obviousl sorbitrate ly it looks much more impressi sorbitrate ive. I stand in the garden
a sorbitrate and examine the guard by the sorbitrate e entrance. He's dressed into sorbitrate masking overalls,
the stand sorbitrate dard players' uniform, with c sorbitrate carbine in his hands. His muz sorbitrate zzle has
absolutely 'impenet sorbitrate trable' expression, he stands sorbitrate motionlee in "Labyrinth".
sorbitrate I enter the door and freez sorbitrate ze.
This is beautiful.
sorbitrate
The hall is in the f sorbitrate form of unequal sided trian sorbitrate ngle, one wall is
completel sorbitrate ly transparent and one can see sorbitrate e the city from the big height sorbitrate t, lighted
by red sunset ligh sorbitrate ht. Not Deeptown but Twiligh sorbitrate ht City most likely. The table sorbitrate e
of "Labyrinth"'s security sorbitrate manager, Mr Guillermo is hor sorbitrate rseshoe-shaped, three
monitor sorbitrate rs are installed on it, a k sorbitrate keyboard and nothing else. M sorbitrate Mr Guillermo
himself already sorbitrate rises to meetank in
virtu sorbitrate uality than in reality but whe sorbitrate en you shoot at the drawn silh sorbitrate houettes, this
is the task fo sorbitrate or a kid.
deep
Ent sorbitrate ter
What the hell, didn' sorbitrate 't I tell you to stop?!
sorbitrate - Stop! - I shout to the driv sorbitrate ver.
He stops right bef sorbitrate fore the burning cars and turn sorbitrate ns around. Even through
the sorbitrate dark glasses of the mask terr sorbitrate ror and admiration can be seen sorbitrate n.
- How did you do that sorbitrate t?
- Get out.
He o sorbitrate obviously waits for one mor sorbitrate re shot, but I plainly point sorbitrate t at the
bodies, botto ste sorbitrate eal the file, on
the conditi sorbitrate ion that he agrees to work f sorbitrate for us... for the regular, ve sorbitrate ery good
salary.
- What sorbitrate t is that, cure for cancer? - sorbitrate I ask.
- No. In that sorbitrate case it would be priceless. I sorbitrate It's just a cold reliever,
b sorbitrate but very, very effective. We'r sorbitrate re about to start its producti sorbitrate ion but only after
the less e sorbitrate effective medicines are sold sorbitrate d out. So, what do you think sorbitrate about my
offer?
- I'd sorbitrate hate to let you down, - I say sorbitrate y trying hard not to think ab sorbitrate bout the
offered amount, - B sorbitrate Bo idea. This is what worries sorbitrate me.
I allow myself to s sorbitrate smirk, tell me that you don't sorbitrate know...
- Until now sorbitrate everything that was happeni sorbitrate ing in virtuality had their
sorbitrate
analogies in the real sorbitrate world. Entertainment, bu sorbitrate usiness, science,
communica sorbitrate ations...
Interesting th sorbitrate hat he ranked entertainment fi sorbitrate irst...
- Now something sorbitrate g have changed.... Good luck sorbitrate to you diver. You can go
n sorbitrate now.
Man Without Face no sorbitrate ods in the direction of the do sorbitrate oor.
- I'll leave by my sorbitrate own way the right for everyth sorbitrate hing, - informs the monster.
sorbitrate
And the fingers clench.
sorbitrate
Now the exit into rea sorbitrate ality is expected, as a res sorbitrate sult of the 'deadly
impact', sorbitrate , otherwise the brains can ima sorbitrate agine the real pain shock, wit sorbitrate th all its
consequences. Onl sorbitrate ly those suicidal would turn sorbitrate off safety locks of the dee sorbitrate ep
program.
Or the dive sorbitrate er.
My battered body i sorbitrate is scattered on the monster' sorbitrate 's palm, the skull is
crush sorbitrate hed, one eye looks into the ho sorbitrate ot dusty sky, another one - sorbitrate at the stony
ave arrived: ga sorbitrate ame addicts who can't imagine sorbitrate their lives without shooting sorbitrate on
the streets of Twilight C sorbitrate City.
It's an interes sorbitrate sting game, mainly because sorbitrate it requires constant
com sorbitrate mmunication with other peop sorbitrate ple, not just 'fighting to d sorbitrate death' like in
'Mortal Comb sorbitrate bat', not diplomatic notes and sorbitrate d threats exchange like in 'C& sorbitrate &C' but
direct communication: sorbitrate : making unions, convincing o sorbitrate others, some small worldly
w sorbitrate wisdoms...
But just what sorbitrate t so unusual could happen in t sorbitrate the "Labyrinth"'s spac legal b sorbitrate business! What do you want?
sorbitrate - That's better. Mr Dive sorbitrate er, have you heard about the sorbitrate Lost Point? Or
about the sorbitrate Invisible Boss?
What I sorbitrate was expecting the least were sorbitrate the ancient fables.
- ' sorbitrate 'Point' is the old term for th sorbitrate he terminal network user?
sorbitrate - Yes, the user of Fidonet. sorbitrate ... this one existed some time sorbitrate e ago.
- Maybe I've hea sorbitrate ard about sorbitrate that... Is it about sorbitrate the guy who was killed by
el sorbitrate lectric shock being in virt sorbitrate tuality? And his consciousnes sorbitrate ss somehow stayed
alive in t sorbitrate to tell the old {'long bearde sorbitrate ed'} anecdotes...
Despit sorbitrate te the whistles and shouts the sorbitrate e guy finishes telling his a sorbitrate anecdote
and runs from the st sorbitrate tage looking around in a prim sorbitrate med way. Lonely applause can
sorbitrate
be heard: geez, who could im sorbitrate magine... I look around for th sorbitrate he bar, it's in the
far corne sorbitrate er of the park. The girl gives sorbitrate s me a bottle of beer without sorbitrate a word.
- Thanks.. - I sorbitrate I make a sip. The ice cold ' sorbitrate 'Heineken' raises my spirits
sorbitrate
instantly.
One more guy sorbitrate y ascends the stage, this tim sorbitrate me much not to be recognizable sorbitrate e, it's possible to pick the s sorbitrate standard face
from Windows-Ho sorbitrate ome set: it's the hell of thos sorbitrate se there, while the missing f sorbitrate face
with such unusual
dres sorbitrate ss is just stupid. But looks i sorbitrate impressive nevertheless.
sorbitrate - Semen, leave us, - says Ma sorbitrate an Without Face.
The dr sorbitrate river nods, turns around and sorbitrate d leaves somewhere into the s sorbitrate shelves
labyrinth. His steps sorbitrate fade slowly and I note that t sorbitrate the echo is excellent here,
m sorbitrate maybe to make it impossible to sorbitrate o move around unnoticed.
sorbitrate - You are thn percent but by sorbitrate y
person?
- Here? - ask sorbitrate ked the driver.
- Yes, t sorbitrate thanks.
I paid him, go sorbitrate ot out of the car and went t sorbitrate towards my house feeling
i sorbitrate inflated like a balloon. Now sorbitrate I have to either fall asleep sorbitrate submitting myself
to the mo sorbitrate orning hangover or to subme sorbitrate erge into the deep: it cures sorbitrate hangover
well.
On the sorbitrate second floor of the staircas sorbitrate se where the light is on alwa sorbitrate ays for
some reason, five te sorbitrate eens were sitting, playing c sorbitrate cards right on the floor,
t sorbitrate talking about somethbe hones sorbitrate st, I just was looking for a
sorbitrate
job. I saw your ad, crossed t sorbitrate the bridge... obeyed those str sorbitrate range guards...
One-one. sorbitrate .
Friedrich Urman clasps sorbitrate s his hands:
- Oh, sure! sorbitrate ! We have no complaints whatso sorbitrate oever, Mr Diver. Except maybe. sorbitrate ...
those odd things that you sorbitrate u have with you.
Slowly, sorbitrate , demonstratively I empty my p sorbitrate pockets: a comb, a handkerchi sorbitrate ief, a
small mirror.
- sorbitrate - Here. Do you want me to give sorbitrate e you my sword?
Urman wa sorbitrate aves his hands:
- Geez, sorbitrate , what for? We surely areer sorbitrate r's services.
- Fourth sorbitrate router is traced... fifth ro sorbitrate outer is traced... alarm! Alar sorbitrate rm!!
Alarm!!!
- Okay, - sorbitrate - I rise too. So sudden.. I sorbitrate never suspected that the ser sorbitrate rious
businessmen are able to sorbitrate o make such generous gesture sorbitrate es. - I promise to come.
But sorbitrate t if you'll excuse me now...
sorbitrate
- No Mr Diver, now YO sorbitrate OU please excuse me. You'll sorbitrate l easily leave our
territory sorbitrate y, but not before your real sorbitrate l address is determined, in sorbitrate n order to
guarantee the vali sorbitrate idity of the promise just give sorbitrate en.
, but we both start losi sorbitrate ing the nerve.
The wolf sorbitrate f decides something toprol XL and tu sorbitrate urns aside sharply, running sorbitrate even
faster. Then he stops b sorbitrate by the big mossy stump, so sud sorbitrate ddenly that I fly on the
gro sorbitrate ound over his head, examines m sorbitrate me intently and jumps over the sorbitrate e stump.
I prefer to us sorbitrate se the water to change my imag sorbitrate ge: a stream, a river or at
sorbitrate
least a pot full of water. Th sorbitrate he werewolves are conservative sorbitrate e though.
The wolf capsi sorbitrate izes and turns into human: a y sorbitrate young man in modest gray suit
sorbitrate tenormin
and patent-re. His
fingers sorbitrate were hitting the keys makin sorbitrate ng the drawn figure to move, t sorbitrate to turn, to
shoot, but it se sorbitrate eemed to him that it's HIM sorbitrate running along the corridors sorbitrate s,
ducking the fiery balls an sorbitrate nd snarling monsters' mugs. He sorbitrate e understood that this
is jus sorbitrate st a game, but he didn't know sorbitrate why it became real and how to sorbitrate o exit it.
The only thin sorbitrate ng he could do in this situat sorbitrate tion was to go until the very sorbitrate y
end. And he did it despite sorbitrate e the fact that it turned sorbitrate out to be much more
difficu sorbitrate ult now.
The s each ot sorbitrate ther not less than from our e sorbitrate enemies. We're too
valuable sorbitrate e merchandise: a depth fish, f sorbitrate freaks shimmering with a magic sorbitrate c glow, any
shark dreams to t sorbitrate try our taste...
- Did y sorbitrate you manage to get the apple ou sorbitrate ut? - asks Roman.
- It's sorbitrate s fine, - I fling my jacket op sorbitrate pen and flop on the shirt's po sorbitrate ocket, -
the trade article's sorbitrate in place.
The Werewolf sorbitrate relaxes a little.
- Wha sorbitrate at about the buyer?
I ch sorbitrate heck my watch:
- In ten sorbitrate minutes. At the river bank ne sorbitrate earby.
- Let's go? - ca sorbitrate atch me again, for the
third sorbitrate d time already. God loves the sorbitrate Trinity...
- Maybe. And sorbitrate d you're Bill Gates possibly. sorbitrate - I reply.
Even if he s sorbitrate smiles, I can't see it for sur sorbitrate re.
- Possibly.
Ye sorbitrate eah right. The owner of Micro sorbitrate osoft in pursue of divers alo sorbitrate ong the Net.
Firstly, he make sorbitrate es money by more traditional m sorbitrate means, secondly he doesn't spe sorbitrate eak
Russian himself. But... w sorbitrate who knows how perfect interpre sorbitrate eter programs might be?
Emoti sorbitrate ionless tones is the tradeoff sorbitrate of serial made and cheap ones sorbitrate s.
's
energy cells had deto sorbitrate onated.
- I'm the Gunsl sorbitrate linger, - I say anyway. It h sorbitrate had become a ritual already
a sorbitrate and I like good traditions.
S sorbitrate Sergey Lukjanenko. Labyrinth o sorbitrate of reflections
__________ sorbitrate ______________________________ sorbitrate __
* Yuri Kalmykov. Tran sorbitrate nslators notes *
About t sorbitrate the Author:
Sergey Lu sorbitrate ukjanenko, 30, is one of th sorbitrate he today's most popular Russ sorbitrate sian
Sci-Fi writers. His fi sorbitrate irst works were published i sorbitrate in 1988. Currently his
bibl sorbitrate liography includes more than 4 sorbitrate 40 titles of novels and short sorbitrate t stories. The
Author define sorbitrate es his genre as the "hard act sorbitrate tion science fiction", but al sorbitrate ll his
works also have a very sorbitrate y well defined philosophical a sorbitrate aspect. The novel offered
to sorbitrate o your attention was written i sorbitrate 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 trandate 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* tricor 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
Petrovna Alekseevna - women's.
Also, the last names of the Russian origin are gender specific too. To
women's form the ending -a is usually attached: Kalmykov for me becomes
Kalmykova for my Mother, as opposed to her maiden name which is Cellarius -
not originally Russian one and as such not gender specific.
There's much more ab |