| One-one.
Friedrich Urman clasps his hands:
- Oh, sure! We have no comp Anti-Allergic/Asthma plaints whatsoever, Mr Diver. Except maybe...
those odd thing Anti-Allergic/Asthma gs that you have with you.
Slowly, demonstratively I emp Anti-Allergic/Asthma pty my pockets: a comb, a handkerchief, a
small mirror.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma - Here. Do you want me to give you my sword?
Urman w Anti-Allergic/Asthma waves his hands:
- Geez, what for? We surely aren't Anti-Allergic/Asthma gonna fight, are we? Let's just
talk...
- Third route Anti-Allergic/Asthma er was traced.
- It's such a pity that less n my head, Anti-Allergic/Asthma , to the left, to the right - the light darkens in my
eyes Anti-Allergic/Asthma s for the moment, but it's only a moment. Nevermind, it happen Anti-Allergic/Asthma ns.
- Are you okay, Lenia?
The speakers are set fo Anti-Allergic/Asthma or the full volume, I frown and say:
- Yes.. Lower the v Anti-Allergic/Asthma volume.
- Lower the volume... lower... lower... - agrees Anti-Allergic/Asthma s Windows-Home .
- Enough, Vika. {complete form: Victori Anti-Allergic/Asthma ia, never used in the novel}
Good program, docile, quick Anti-Allergic/Asthma k-witted and friendly one. Not without too
much self conf Anti-Allergic/Asthma fixican from a soap opera notices her
look and raises his Anti-Allergic/Asthma chin proudly. Yes, one can't deny her power of
observ Anti-Allergic/Asthma vation, he's really Russian...
- There's a crowd of Ame Anti-Allergic/Asthma ericoses, - she goes on without a glimpse of
respect, - th Anti-Allergic/Asthma hat weirdo is a Japanese obviously... just look at the eyes Anti-Allergic/Asthma he
drew for himself. Every nation has it's ownfer this ty Anti-Allergic/Asthma ype of drivers: well trained and brief
ones.
- Deep-Tr Anti-Allergic/Asthma ransit Company is glad to welcome you!
He doesn't say th Anti-Allergic/Asthma he name - the beauty.
- I don't know.
- I'd like Anti-Allergic/Asthma to have 10 minutes for self adjustment..
- Okay, but no Anti-Allergic/Asthma ot more. I'll need all resources in 10 minutes.
The face Anti-Allergic/Asthma e on the screen frowns: the program extracts the keywords.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma - Only 10 minutes, - says Windows-Home obediently, - Bu Anti-Allergic/Asthma ut I must draw
your attention one more time to the fact that Anti-Allergic/Asthma the level of the tasks you set
for me does not always co Anti-Allergic/Asthma orrespond to the volume of my RAM. The desired
extension is Anti-Allergic/Asthma s...
- Shut up. - I en... - Shellerbach pads a step away Anti-Allergic/Asthma y, then
stops, - Tell me... how is it: to be a diver?
- Anti-Allergic/Asthma - It's very simple, - replies Roman, - One just needs to Anti-Allergic/Asthma know that
everything around is just a game, a fantasy.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma Shellerbach nods and pulls his hands apart:
- I can't, Anti-Allergic/Asthma , alas...
He walks away along the path, we watch him Anti-Allergic/Asthma leaving. Then I fill our
goblets:
- For the luck!
Anti-Allergic/Asthma Roman obviously haven't yet understood the scale of wh Anti-Allergic/Asthma hat have just
happened, he silently too powerful computers, Anti-Allergic/Asthma , extremely high
quality communication lines, titanic work Anti-Allergic/Asthma of millions of programmers. It
would take several dozens o Anti-Allergic/Asthma of years to build the city like Deeptown.
Everything ha Anti-Allergic/Asthma ad changed dramatically when Dmitry Dibenko, the former
ha Anti-Allergic/Asthma acker from Moscow (now the wealthy US citizen) invented The Anti-Allergic/Asthma Deep: a tiny
program influencing human subconsciousness. Anti-Allergic/Asthma . They say he was crazy about
Castaneda's books, liked to Anti-Allergic/Asthma meditate and smoked grass. I surely believe in
carefully, l Anti-Allergic/Asthma looking at the bald patch of the friendly one. He has a big
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
wart exactly on his cinciput. Interesting, is it reall Anti-Allergic/Asthma ly drawn or my
subconsciousness tricks me? It's not reaso Anti-Allergic/Asthma onable to leave the deep just to
check such a trifle though Anti-Allergic/Asthma h.
The Al-Kabar block is not big, not more than a sq Anti-Allergic/Asthma quare kilometer in
virtuality. It means nothing though. Anti-Allergic/Asthma Some companies, like Microsoft for
instance offer whole pal Anti-Allergic/Asthma laces for their employees to work: it's cheap and
effecti Anti-Allergic/Asthma iclose my eyes. This is normal: a colorful kaleidoscope, a
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
whirlwind of bright sparks - it looks beautiful, but I know Anti-Allergic/Asthma what is behind
this beauty.
The Deep. It is called Anti-Allergic/Asthma so in English but it seems to me that the
Russian word Anti-Allergic/Asthma {glubina} sounds better. Having broader meaning, it changes Anti-Allergic/Asthma an
attractive label into the warning: THE Deep! Sharks and o Anti-Allergic/Asthma octopuses live here.
It's quiet, and presses, presses, presse Anti-Allergic/Asthma es by the endless space which doesn't
really exist.
In Anti-Allergic/Asthma general theot twice and the already aimed
gun falls from Anti-Allergic/Asthma the hand of my short-time ally. I bend down to him. Alex Anti-Allergic/Asthma x
gulps the air with his mouth looking at me with senseless Anti-Allergic/Asthma eyes. The program
gives him 5 more seconds to Anti-Allergic/Asthma understand Anti-Allergic/Asthma his defeat. - And in fact, I like
King too, - I inform him Anti-Allergic/Asthma picking up his gun.
That's all. I had one gun with 8 c Anti-Allergic/Asthma cartridges, now I have two guns with
14 cartridges.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma I throw the body down over the section car's skirting, Anti-Allergic/Asthma under the
embankment, the game is harmless and quiet. Dress Anti-Allergic/Asthma sed in a beautiful
uniform, you walk with a cup of coffee Anti-Allergic/Asthma back and forth in the headquarters
crowded with trained aid Anti-Allergic/Asthma des and say : 'Ummm.. what if we drop an H-bomb at
Los Ange Anti-Allergic/Asthma eles?'
The game have changed a little last year, now one Anti-Allergic/Asthma e has to start it as a
lieutenant being in command of a Anti-Allergic/Asthma a small regiment in tactic battles,
submitting to someb Anti-Allergic/Asthma body else's orders and to rise slowly up the hierarchy
unt Anti-Allergic/Asthma til he reaches the rank of the Chief ained, - 'Guinness' of co Anti-Allergic/Asthma ourse, - And I gave the
canister to Christian.
Self con Anti-Allergic/Asthma ntrol seems to be one of the most important qualities of t Anti-Allergic/Asthma the
best European bartenders, and Christian is one of t Anti-Allergic/Asthma them. He picked the
canister up casually, weighted it in hi Anti-Allergic/Asthma is hand as if to estimate it's volume
and started to fill it Anti-Allergic/Asthma from the sparkling faucet.
Big Mugs behind me were sile Anti-Allergic/Asthma ently going crazy, and it amused me lots.
- Please wait Anti-Allergic/Asthma t for the foam to settle, - said Christian with while I'm in Anti-Allergic/Asthma n the
'car', the transportation program which is probably ca Anti-Allergic/Asthma apable of tracing the
telephone line?
Geez, just why Anti-Allergic/Asthma did I connect from the main address today, now it's an
amat Anti-Allergic/Asthma teur's task to determine my personality!
- What do you w Anti-Allergic/Asthma want?
The driver ignores me, but watches nevertheless Anti-Allergic/Asthma s, examining me with
curiosity of the hunter who managed to Anti-Allergic/Asthma o shoot the firebird.
- Okay, you have asked for this, Anti-Allergic/Asthma - I say trying not to panic and take
the revolver out.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
all these pleasures is in reality.
- Reality is not alw Anti-Allergic/Asthma ways affordable.
- Just as virtuality is, Lenia. I don' Anti-Allergic/Asthma 't know where you get money from
that allows you to visit he Anti-Allergic/Asthma ere so often, and it's none of my business anyway,
but billio Anti-Allergic/Asthma ons of people never were in the deep.
- Millions of peop Anti-Allergic/Asthma ple never saw a TV set.
- Virtuality must NOT be an arti Anti-Allergic/Asthma ificial substitution of reality, - says
Nadya with convictio Anti-Allergic/Asthma on.
- Yes, sure. Let's turn the paupers and miserable on Anti-Allergic/Asthma nes into infe of freezing any computer, but never
dest Anti-Allergic/Asthma troying the data.
But Maniac called in three minutes.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma - Visited Al-Kabar, huh? - asked he in a honey sweet voic Anti-Allergic/Asthma ce.
- Yes. - it made no sense to lie, - You managed it s Anti-Allergic/Asthma so fast?
- I didn't manage it. This is my virus, buddy.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
I couldn't find anything better than to mumble, "Well Anti-Allergic/Asthma l... sorry about
that..."
Maniac, in the real life jus Anti-Allergic/Asthma st Sasha {Alexander}, was deadly serious:
- You what, ha Anti-Allergic/Asthma ave stolen a program frocourse, of other players
and monster Anti-Allergic/Asthma rs. In order to win one must reach the 50th level, the anci Anti-Allergic/Asthma ient
cathedral in the downtown and to destroy the alien rule Anti-Allergic/Asthma er. It's very hard. I
did it before but since then "Labyrint Anti-Allergic/Asthma th" have changed at least ten times:
new buildings, weapon Anti-Allergic/Asthma ns and monsters were added. And of course, new players
have Anti-Allergic/Asthma arrived: game addicts who can't imagine their lives without s Anti-Allergic/Asthma shooting on
the streets of Twilight City.
It's an in Anti-Allergic/Asthma nteresting game, mainly because s sipping her wine, - I'm Anti-Allergic/Asthma m in
Moscow for instance, you are in Samara somewhere, that b Anti-Allergic/Asthma boy - in Penza...
'That boy', looking like the cute Mexi Anti-Allergic/Asthma ican from a soap opera notices her
look and raises his ch Anti-Allergic/Asthma hin proudly. Yes, one aristocort can't deny her power of
observati Anti-Allergic/Asthma ion, he's really Russian...
- There's a crowd of Americ Anti-Allergic/Asthma coses, - she goes on without a glimpse of
respect, - that Anti-Allergic/Asthma weirdo is a Japanese obviously... just look at the eyes he
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
drew for himself. Every nation has it's ownfer this type Anti-Allergic/Asthma of drivers: well trained and brief
ones.
- Deep-Trans Anti-Allergic/Asthma sit Company is glad to welcome you!
He doesn't say the n Anti-Allergic/Asthma name - the program stopped the taxi anonymously.
- How w Anti-Allergic/Asthma will you pay?
- Like this, - I say getting the revolver Anti-Allergic/Asthma r out of my pocket and hit the
guy on the temple really har Anti-Allergic/Asthma rd. He tries to block me but it's too late. I
look at his p Anti-Allergic/Asthma pale face, shook him by the collar and order:
- Al-Kabar Anti-Allergic/Asthma r block.
- This address doesn't exist - says the drivg Anti-Allergic/Asthma his enemy with the heel on his forehead of
thrusting Anti-Allergic/Asthma magic spells onto him. Good game, I visit it once or twice a Anti-Allergic/Asthma month
but some people never quit the duels. They say that Anti-Allergic/Asthma t if one doesn't abuse
magic which unfortunately is not av Anti-Allergic/Asthma vailable in reality, it is possible to
learn to fight prett Anti-Allergic/Asthma ty well. I doubt it though: the hit that one feels with
the Anti-Allergic/Asthma e help of virtual suit is one thing but the real steel reinfo Anti-Allergic/Asthma orcement that
you'll be hit with in the street is absolutely Anti-Allergic/Asthma different.and I don't pretend to complete innocence myself. I Anti-Allergic/Asthma I have my own goals.
- And I have my little legal busine Anti-Allergic/Asthma ess! What do you want?
- That's better. Mr Diver, have Anti-Allergic/Asthma you heard about the Lost Point? Or
about the Invisible B Anti-Allergic/Asthma Boss?
What I was expecting the least were the ancient fa Anti-Allergic/Asthma ables.
- 'Point' is the old term for the terminal networ Anti-Allergic/Asthma rk user?
- Yes, the user of Fidonet... this one existed Anti-Allergic/Asthma some time ago.
- Maybe I've heard about that... clarinex Is it Anti-Allergic/Asthma about the guy who was sipping our drinks.
- Do you like Anti-Allergic/Asthma e pepper vodka? - I ask the Werewolf incidentally.
- Yes Anti-Allergic/Asthma s.
It's said dryly and without further comments. I wi Anti-Allergic/Asthma ish I knew who you
really are, Roman.
But it's impossi Anti-Allergic/Asthma ible: virtuality is cruel to the careless.
We come to th Anti-Allergic/Asthma he river bank: the steep covered with low thorny bushes.
T Anti-Allergic/Asthma The wind is strong and I narrow my eyes. The sky is covered Anti-Allergic/Asthma d by dark gray
clouds. The river is not exactly mountain one Anti-Allergic/Asthma e but with rapids and very fast.
TSergey beconase AQ Lukjanenko. Labyrint Anti-Allergic/Asthma th of reflections
_______________________________________ Anti-Allergic/Asthma __
* Yuri Kalmykov. Translators notes *
About the Anti-Allergic/Asthma Author:
Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, is one of the toda Anti-Allergic/Asthma ay's most popular Russian
Sci-Fi writers. His first work Anti-Allergic/Asthma ks were published in 1988. Currently his
bibliography inc Anti-Allergic/Asthma cludes more than 40 titles of novels and short stories. The
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
Author defines his genre as the "hard action science ficti Anti-Allergic/Asthma ion", but all his
works also have a very well defined philoso Anti-Allergic/Asthma ophical aspect. The novel offered
to your attention was writ Anti-Allergic/Asthma tten in 1997 and became the real 'cult book' of the
Russian I Anti-Allergic/Asthma Internet.
Sergey is married, he lives in Moscow.
Anti-Allergic/Asthma
THE NOVEL "LABYRINTH OF REFLECTIONS" IS COPY Anti-Allergic/Asthma YRIGHTED 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 claritin 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 |