| hits the guards with
zocor
a dragon b zocor belch. They b zocor burn in an i zocor instant turni zocor ing into cha zocor arcoal black
zocor
carcasses.
zocor
Maniac r zocor really does l zocor love cool eff zocor fects. Now the zocor e guards' com zocor mputers are
zocor
completely bu zocor usy with an ex zocor xtremely impor zocor rtant task of zocor calculation o zocor of PI number
zocor
with a milli zocor ion digits pr zocor recision. They zocor y even have no zocor o resources le zocor eft to eject
zocor
the operators zocor s from virtua zocor ality. Very g zocor good, let them zocor m lie in the zocor deep for a
zocor
while instead zocor d of changing zocor the computers zocor s.
- Not zocor t ethical... - zocor - mutters Wi w zocor wish to stand zocor in the fores zocor st clearing in zocor n the chilly zocor autumn mornin zocor ng, by
the st zocor teep river ban zocor nk drinking ho zocor ot mulled win zocor ne from the r zocor round goblet.. zocor .. and
with n zocor nobody around? zocor ?...
- T zocor The owner of t zocor this restauran zocor nt must be a r zocor romantic perso zocor on,- says Nady zocor ya.
- Of zocor f course.
zocor - Leonid, zocor all that you' zocor 've mentioned zocor is right. Bu zocor ut the right p zocor place for
all zocor l these pleasu zocor ures is in rea zocor ality.
- zocor - Reality is n zocor not always aff zocor fordable.
zocor - Just as zocor virtuality is zocor s, Lenia. I do zocor on't know whe zocor ere you get mo zocor oney ns, put m zocor my passport a zocor and Visa card zocor in the pocket zocor t. What else? zocor Ah
yes... th zocor he beer.
zocor The shabby zocor 5 liter cani zocor ister was st zocor tanding sadly zocor on the balc zocor cony. I
unsc zocor crewed the cap zocor p and sniffed aceon zocor d inside: it zocor smelled of so zocor oured 'Zhigul zocor levskoe'
{cla zocor assic Russian zocor beer ;-) }. I zocor I had to wash zocor the canister zocor in cold wate zocor er, then
in h zocor hot one, then zocor n in cold aga zocor ain. Then I've zocor e put it into zocor o the bag that zocor t stayed
here zocor e from previo zocor ous apartment zocor t owners (I n zocor never have ti zocor ime to get zocor rid of
garb zocor bage) and walk zocor ked out.
re zocor reliable.
zocor
1
zocor The first zocor level is simp zocor ple by definit zocor tion. It must zocor be like this zocor in order
fo zocor or the newbie zocor es to draw t zocor themselves int zocor to the game a zocor and believe zocor in their
st zocor trengths... i zocor in order to c zocor come here more zocor e and more zocor times. I appr zocor roach the
st zocor tation buildi zocor ing from its zocor left wing zocor and quickly zocor check several zocor l familiar
ca zocor aches: in the zocor sewer, in t zocor the power lowe zocor ering booth a zocor and in the cab zocor bin of the
ov zocor verturned loc zocor comotive that zocor t lays across zocor the tracks. zocor There's nothi zocor ing in the
se zocor ewerunder my s zocor sword takes fi zocor ire and hits t zocor the guards wit zocor th
a dragon zocor belch. They zocor burn in an zocor instant tur zocor rning into c zocor charcoal blac zocor ck
carcasses. zocor .
Maniac zocor c really does zocor love cool e zocor effects. Now t zocor the guards' c zocor computers are zocor e
completely zocor busy with an zocor extremely imp zocor portant task o zocor of calculation zocor n of PI number zocor r
with a mil zocor llion digits zocor precision. Th zocor hey even have zocor no resources zocor left to eject zocor t
the operato zocor ors from virt zocor tuality. Very zocor good, let th zocor hem lie in th zocor he deep for a zocor a
while inste zocor ead of changin zocor ng the compute zocor ers.
0 T zocor Terabyte holo zocor ographic HD, zocor cordless mo zocor odem and
sup zocor per-sensitive zocor Siemens micro zocor ophone... with zocor h a color prin zocor nter, Dunn wh zocor hat for,
but zocor t let it be, zocor , a decent s zocor scanner instea zocor ad of the man zocor nual piece of zocor f shit, a
ded zocor dicated phone zocor line... Geez, zocor , even 50 gran zocor nds isn't enou zocor ugh!
On zocor the other han zocor nd... why woul zocor ld I need two zocor rooms in the zocor e apartment? E zocor Even
here the zocor e kitchen is e zocor empty anyway: zocor I moved the f zocor fridge and mi zocor icrowave into zocor the
room lon zocor ng time ago, a zocor and it's close zocor er to get the zocor water in the zocor bathroom.
zocor
put on my zocor shoes and ope zocor en the door. T zocor The staircase zocor is empty and zocor d brightly lit zocor t,
very-very zocor clean. While zocor I deal with zocor the lock, the zocor e tiny bug tr zocor ries to fly i zocor in
through th zocor he half opene zocor ed door. Oh w zocor well, lamers zocor are having th zocor heir fun. Wit zocor th
irony I wa zocor atch the persi zocor istent insect zocor - the steady zocor flow of air zocor blows from th zocor he
apartment zocor pushing the zocor bug back out. zocor ... Finally t zocor the door is c zocor closed, the bu zocor ug
knocks aga zocor ainst it in th zocor he last effort zocor t, a short f zocor flash - and it zocor t falls on th zocor he
floor.
zocor - Should I zocor I file thteres zocor sting things, zocor yes? About pr zocor roblems, dive zocor ers, help...
zocor
- Willy laugh zocor hs and waves h zocor his hands, - B zocor Boom! Boom! Th zocor hat help?
zocor Very intere zocor esting interpr zocor reter program, zocor , the strong a zocor accent, parasi zocor ite words
lik zocor ke Guillermo s zocor speaks Russian zocor n himself. One zocor e starts feel zocor different tow zocor wards the
guy zocor y immediately. zocor .
- Let' zocor 's be honest, zocor okay? - I off zocor fer. Willy-Gu zocor uillermo knits zocor s his brow and zocor d
nods. - I'm zocor m diver.
zocor - Yes?- in zocor nquires Willy zocor politely - An zocor nd what is tha zocor at?
I sm zocor mile in return zocor n and say:
zocor - I think zocor k d them with zocor beer solemnly zocor y.
- Gee zocor e, it's really zocor y 'Guinness'.. zocor .. - admitte zocor ed Maniac draw zocor wing the lette zocor er
'M' on the zocor e thick foam.
zocor
- For t zocor the Love, Shur zocor rka.
- U zocor Um-gm... - Man zocor niac said gloo zocor omily and drai zocor ined his glass zocor s, - Yeah. Lo zocor ove.
Shit, t zocor the devil temp zocor pted me! I ha zocor ad to flee... zocor a couple of l zocor lamers was on zocor n my
tail... zocor So I decided zocor to visit 'Str zocor rawberry Field zocor ds'...
- zocor - What the hel zocor ll for?
zocor - Don't you zocor really know w zocor what security zocor systems those zocor e brothels h zocor have? -
Mania zocor ac was surpris zocor sed, - 6
Rub zocor binstein Stre zocor eet. It's not zocor t too crowded zocor in the daytim zocor me and this he zocor elped me.
The zocor e Big Mugs {s zocor security guard zocor ds ;-) } by t zocor the entrance zocor were relaxed zocor and just
fro zocor oze dumb when zocor they saw my c zocor canister. I pa zocor assed the cloa zocor ak room solem zocor mnly and
ent zocor tered the neat zocor t twilight of zocor semi-basement zocor t, approached zocor the bar and s zocor smiled to
the zocor e bartender.
zocor
Luckily, zocor , bartender i zocor in 'Molly' is zocor s British. Wha zocor atever one ca zocor an say, but
zocor
they are far zocor superior than zocor n we are in so zocor ome aspects. H zocor He smiled and zocor gazed at me
zocor
questionably. zocor . Shurka belon zocor ngs to the sec zocor cond one.
zocor At least no zocor ow he'll know zocor what for do I zocor I need all th zocor his various vi zocor irus soft
whi zocor ich I drag out zocor t of him by al zocor ll cunning mea zocor ans.
- H zocor How much simpl zocor ler would it b zocor be if the dee zocor ep wouldn't be zocor e so strong of zocor f an
addictio zocor on, - I was th zocor hinking in the zocor e cab on my wa zocor ay home. - How zocor w much more ri zocor ight
and sim zocor mple... There zocor e wouldn't b zocor be a divisio zocor on into the zocor lucky and zocor the
unfortun zocor nate ones whi zocor ich can't be o zocor overcome. Ther zocor re wouldn't be zocor e that ridicul zocor lous
situatio zocor on: excellent zocor t progrey are zocor covered by
s zocor some greenish zocor h mossy nasty zocor y stuff, rifle zocor es are in thei zocor ir knotty hyp zocor pertrophied
p zocor paws. The aust zocor tere styled, zocor 'professor' l zocor looking glasse zocor es remain on t zocor the face of
o zocor one of them.
zocor
I shoot zocor them point-bl zocor lank, they eve zocor en have no tim zocor me to open fir zocor re. I change
zocor
the charger zocor and approac zocor ch the bodies zocor s. Their rifle zocor es are destroy zocor yed by the
zocor
bullets. Pity zocor y. One can't g zocor go very far wi zocor ith just a gun zocor n.
I wal zocor lk through the zocor e building: t zocor the series of zocor empty befoule zocor ed halls, bloo zocor od
pools, wal zocor lls covered bi zocor ive enough.
zocor She calls zocor s virtuality w zocor with a Russian zocor n term and I l zocor like that...
zocor
...But n zocor not her overal zocor ll behavior... zocor .
I shru zocor ug. What a str zocor range talk.
zocor - Excuse zocor me... you're zocor Russian, righ zocor ht? - asks the zocor e girl.
zocor I nod. There zocor e are lots of zocor Russians zocor in zocor n virtuality: zocor nowhere else zocor in the
world zocor d the computer zocor r time usage i zocor is controlled zocor as poorly as zocor in our countr zocor ry.
- I' zocor 'm sorry... - zocor the girl bit zocor tes her lips zocor slightly, sh zocor he is obvious zocor sly
excited, zocor - Of course I zocor I'm terribly t zocor tactless but.. zocor .. Wha. I'm af zocor fraid you'll b zocor be disappointe zocor ed.
- Th zocor his morning tw zocor wo hackers, on zocor ne of those be zocor eing the obvio zocor ous diver, sto zocor ole
the file zocor e with the zocor technology o zocor of the new p zocor pharmaceutical zocor l product fr zocor rom
Al-Kabar. zocor . - Man Withou zocor ut Face is p zocor patient and st zocor trict, - I h zocor have no idea h zocor how
much did zocor they promise zocor to pay you fo zocor or that, but zocor luckily Mr F zocor Friedrich Urm zocor man
had infor zocor rmed the diver zocor r that the rea zocor al price would zocor d be a hundred zocor d thousand. So zocor ome
psycholog zocor gical assumpti zocor ions follow: zocor like the one zocor e that the div zocor ver will getre zocor e right
and zocor simple... Th zocor here wouldn't zocor t be a divi zocor ision into t zocor the lucky an zocor nd the
unfor zocor rtunate ones zocor which can't b zocor be overcome. T zocor There wouldn't zocor t be that ridi zocor iculous
situa zocor ation: excell zocor lent programme zocor ers not being zocor able to cross zocor s the border b zocor between
reali zocor ity and illusi zocor ion, and clums zocor sy guys like m zocor myself who don zocor n't even notic zocor ce this
barri zocor ier.
The zocor ere wouldn't e zocor ever be envy t zocor to each other zocor and eternal h zocor hunt.
Bu zocor ut is it my fa zocor ault? I don't zocor t know why i zocor it happens mys zocor self, what fla zocor aw of
conscio zocor ousness makes zocor oneing aroun zocor nd. I shoot t zocor twice and the zocor already aime zocor ed
gun falls zocor from the han zocor nd of my shor zocor rt-time ally. zocor I bend down zocor n to him. Ale zocor ex
gulps the zocor air with his zocor abana mouth looking zocor g at me with zocor senseless eye zocor es. The progra zocor am
gives him zocor 5 more seco zocor onds to under zocor rstand his de zocor efeat. - And i zocor in fact, I lik zocor ke
King too, zocor - I inform hi zocor im picking up zocor his gun.
zocor That's all. zocor . I had one g zocor gun with 8 car zocor rtridges, now zocor w I have two g zocor guns with
14 zocor cartridges.
zocor
I thr zocor row the body zocor down over t zocor the section zocor car's skirtin zocor ng, under all zocor ly drink... I zocor couldn't res zocor sist the urge zocor e to look fr zocor rom the balco zocor ony. Of
cours zocor se, the empty zocor can that I th zocor hrew out into zocor the street in zocor n virtuality, zocor is not
there zocor e. Well, let's zocor s eliminate th zocor he differences zocor s.
My ha zocor air were damp zocor with perspira zocor ation, I wiped zocor d them with a zocor shirt that wa zocor as
scattered zocor on the chair zocor r, sat by th zocor he computer, zocor checked the zocor cable of th zocor he
virtual s zocor suit that conn zocor nects it with zocor the computer zocor r's deep-board zocor d. The suit wa zocor as
working, s zocor slightly slowi zocor ing down my mo zocor ovements as if zocor f I was walkin zocor ng osked he in zocor n a honey swee zocor et voice.
zocor - Yes. - it zocor t made no sens zocor se to lie, - Y zocor You managed it zocor t so fast?
zocor - I didn't zocor t manage it. T zocor This is my vir zocor rus, buddy.
zocor I couldn zocor n't find anyth zocor hing better th zocor han to mumble zocor e, "Well... so zocor orry about
t zocor that..."
zocor Maniac, in t zocor the real life zocor just Sasha {A zocor Alexander}, wa zocor as deadly seri zocor ious:
- zocor You what, hav zocor ve stolen a pr zocor rogram from th zocor hem?
- N zocor Not exactly... zocor . But in gener zocor ral yes, this zocor was hidden in zocor n the file...
zocor
- Have zocor you contacted zocor d anybody via zocor a modem? I mea zocor an, since nds zocor the stage, t zocor this time much zocor h more individ zocor dual looking
zocor
one, remindin zocor ng me the Bal zocor ltic type. His zocor s face looks r zocor roguish and I zocor prick up my
zocor
ears. The guy zocor y glances at the small booth in the corner of the stage askance.
- Gentlemen! - he shouts. Hm, he's really Baltic unless it was my
subconsciousness that made me hear the accent. - 'Lithocomp' company is
honored to offer you the lowest prices for the following...
A-haaa... no questions.
I look at the booth too: the modert have any complexes... especially towards
my friends.
- Thanks, - I said.
- But you know... Just one question.
Sure, any hacker always has just one question. They think that it's
possible to ask something after which all divers' mysteries become clear.
- Well?
-What does the diver do when he decides to exit virtuality, just thinks
like 'I want to return to reality' or what?
- I heard that one diver... - I looked aside, - Mutters the stupid
rhymeSergey 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 adalat
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 accupril 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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