| do that at home, but what for?
If one starlix wants not to be recognizable, starlix , it's possible to pick the st starlix tandard face
from Windows-Hom starlix me set: it's the hell of those starlix e there, while the missing fa starlix ace
with such unusual
dress starlix s is just stupid. But looks im starlix mpressive nevertheless.
starlix - Semen, leave us, - says Man starlix n Without Face.
The dri starlix iver nods, turns around and starlix leaves somewhere into the sh starlix helves
labyrinth. His steps f starlix fade slowly and I note that th starlix he echo is excellent here,
ma starlix aybe to make it impossible ing starlix g for divers everywhere in t starlix the deep, and will find many, starlix , and
will tell them the same starlix e I've told you.
- What' starlix 's there, in "Labyrinth"? - I starlix I ask turning my gaze away fr starlix rom the
Medal.
- I have starlix e no idea. This is what worrie starlix es me.
I allow myself to starlix o smirk, tell me that you don' starlix 't know...
- Until now starlix w everything that was happe starlix ening in virtuality had their starlix r
analogies in the real starlix l world. Entertainment, starlix business, science,
communi starlix ications...
Interesting starlix thatian?
Yeah, Man Wit starlix thout Face is informed much starlix h better than "Labyrinth"'s
starlix
security manager.
- Th starlix hese are just details.
- starlix - Take a seat Gunslinger... - starlix - Willy moves an armchair to starlix me then pads
to the window starlix looking at the city poured starlix by blood colored blaze, - starlix So,
you're diver?
I no starlix od.
- This is very inte starlix eresting. Unusual! - Willy rai starlix ises his forefinger, -
Every starlix ybody look for divers, everyb starlix body have requests, business, starlix , questions...
you came to us starlix s by yoursel. I finish my Sp starlix prite and throw the can down
starlix
returning into the room.
starlix - Not ethical... - mutters starlix s the computer. Ignoring it I starlix I leave the room,
put on my s starlix shoes and open the door. The s starlix staircase is empty and bright starlix tly lit,
very-very clean. Whi starlix ile I deal with the lock, the starlix e tiny bug tries to fly in
starlix
through the half opened doo starlix or. Oh well, lamers are havin starlix ng their fun. With
irony I w starlix watch the persistent insect - starlix the steady flow of air blows starlix s from the
apartment pushing starlix the bug back out. sign flash starlix hes and slight noise of
movin starlix ng cars outside.
- Is ev starlix verything okay Lenia?
I starlix look around.
- Yes. I'l starlix ll go for a walk, Vika.
starlix I pick up the diskette and starlix put it into my pocket. Th starlix he portable CD
player lies starlix on the shelf among several bo starlix ooks and the pile of CDs. I in starlix nsert
ELO's CD into it, put starlix t on headphones, push 'play'. starlix 'Roll over Beethoven' -
jus starlix st what I wanted. Accompanied starlix by the cheerful music I leav starlix ve the apartment
and shut the starlix e door.
No bugs thiac w starlix went on, - Do you know "Labyri starlix inth of Death"?
- Yes, - starlix - I sobered up in an instant.
starlix
- I decided to have so starlix ome fun not long ago, and ent starlix tered the 17th level
directly starlix y. They added so many stuff t starlix there recently! It's a nigh starlix htmare of a
game... well, in starlix brief, I was stuck.
- W starlix What do you mean?
- I co starlix ouldn't pass to the next level starlix l, but without passing it th starlix he exit
menu doesn't pop up. starlix .
- And?...
- An starlix nd I was sitting there for starlix thirty-six hours, - said Man starlix niacn.
In the real worl starlix ld my room is the same as in starlix n the virtual space. The
di starlix ifference is though: it's not starlix t a warm Deeptown's summer ev starlix vening behind the
windows but starlix t the rainy St. Peterburgh aut starlix tumn. It's drizzling outside, starlix the car
honks in the distanc starlix ce. I actos opened the fridge and starlix took a can of Sprite. Let's
starlix
really drink... I couldn't r starlix resist the urge to look fro starlix om the balcony. Of
course, t starlix the empty can that I threw out starlix t into the street in virtualit starlix ty, is not
there. Well, let's starlix s eliminateppen every
second starlix d in Deeptown, but the transf starlix fer of exactly 50 000... from starlix m one private
party to anothe starlix er... The account numbers stay starlix y secret, but the place where starlix the
payment took place is mu starlix uch more easily determined. Do starlix o you follow my thought?
starlix That's it. Very simple.
starlix I was traced from the very starlix y 'Three Piglets'. Roman had starlix left instantly,
while I deci starlix ided to walk a little.
T starlix To find an adventure for my st starlix tupid ass.
Why the hell starlix did I share equally with him? starlix ?!
- Very inenth floor. starlix I finish my Sprite and thro starlix ow the can down
returning in starlix nto the room.
- Not ethi starlix ical... - mutters the computer starlix r. Ignoring it I leave the ro starlix oom,
put on my shoes and open starlix n the door. The staircase is e starlix empty and brightly lit,
very starlix y-very clean. While I deal wi starlix ith the lock, the tiny bug tr starlix ries to fly in
through the starlix half opened door. Oh well, l starlix lamers are having their fun. starlix . With
irony I watch the pers starlix sistent insect - the steady fl starlix low of air blows from the
ap starlix partment pushing the bugopen starlix the door and escort me to starlix o the bridge
personally if h starlix he saw this badge.
He pr starlix robably would hire killers l starlix later though in order to se starlix ettle the
scores with me but starlix in the deep he would be extre starlix emely polite.
I've neve starlix er seen the Medal with my own starlix n eyes before. I know that Dmi starlix itry
Dibenko received the sa starlix ame one in his time: for th starlix he creation of the deep
itse starlix elf.
One must accomplish starlix h something vitally importan starlix nt for all virtual space
for starlix any of his actions to be cons starlix sider enough time. Well, Mr D starlix Diver, I have the reasons to
starlix
suspect that some persons wo starlix ould like to obtain some of ou starlix ur technologies, and
even man starlix naged to hire a diver... in or starlix rder to reap where they have n starlix not sown.
- The apples, starlix - I add.
- Exactly. We starlix have a good actoPlus Met Russian programme starlix er working for us, he created
starlix
a nice design for data stor starlix rage... - Urman claps his hand starlix ds and the air dims
between starlix us, becoming dense. One momen starlix nt - and the small tree ap starlix ppears, all
sown with the fru starlix uit. - I szy over that,
that starlix t's why I didn't hurry to t starlix try it. Experiments with adve starlix enture thirsty
girls is one starlix thing, but the professional starlix ls from virtual brothels is a starlix a very
different case.
starlix - For the health, - I offered starlix d.
We drank and filled starlix the glasses for the third t starlix time. The canister was
halved starlix d and we felt much better.
starlix - For the hub 5-0-83,207.. starlix .. - said Maniac, - For old go starlix ood 'Fido'...
We drank i starlix in silence and without touchin starlix ng glasses, like we would for starlix the
dead.
stop by it f starlix for a
second, then dash insid starlix de.
A-ha.
Two muta starlix ants run to me, two petty huma starlix an-like demons. They are cover starlix red by
some greenish mossy starlix nasty stuff, rifles are in th starlix heir knotty hypertrophied
pa starlix aws. The austere styled, 'pro starlix ofessor' looking glasses remai starlix in on the face of
one of them starlix m.
I shoot them point-bl starlix lank, they even have no time t starlix to open fire. I change
the c starlix charger and approach the bo starlix odies. Their rifles are destro starlix oyed by the
bullets. Pity. starlix One can't go very far ws. It starlix swoops on us and releases th starlix hree flame streams. The fire f starlix flares up
right on our way.
starlix
- Run! - screams my par starlix rtner and adds in a whisper, starlix - See you tonight,
at the us starlix sual place...
I jerk sha starlix arply, throw him down from my starlix back and flee, hurled by curs starlix ses.
The dragon circles starlix s above for little longer, t starlix then lands by the fairy
tale starlix e hero. The cowardly partner d starlix doesn't interest him. Just as starlix expected.
I run away, w starlix whispering:
- Vika, copy starlix y new files!
The fight r starlix raocked ourselves out in some starlix e basement,
sang the songs, f starlix firing back at the monsters... starlix . until our timers went up.
starlix - You have thirty-six hou starlix urs limit of continuous being starlix in the deep?
- Twenty-f starlix four now.
- What about G starlix Gal'ka?
- Ah, she was... starlix . at mother-in-law's place... starlix Len'ka, what time limit do
y starlix you have?
- I removed starlix the limit, - I confessed.
starlix - I see... diver... - starlix Shurka laughed forcefully. - starlix - Shit, I never
completely starlix believed in you, even if susp starlix pected.
somebody else's comp starlix puter.
We know this far starlix too well... And are insured a starlix against it for a long time
al starlix lready: identification program starlix ms simply can't see my compu starlix uter. It's these
dangerous starlix things that I always store o starlix on D: disk. The scanner locat starlix ted some
surprise inside th starlix he text file itself too - a starlix a tiny program, supposedly
starlix
starting in response to an starlix attempt to read the file. Ju starlix ust as should have
been exp starlix pected. I copied the file starlix to the magnetic diskette, th starlix hen to the
optie hell, didn't starlix t I tell you to stop?!
- starlix - Stop! - I shout to the drive starlix er.
He stops right befo starlix ore the burning cars and turns starlix s around. Even through
the d starlix dark glasses of the mask terro starlix or and admiration can be seen. starlix .
- How starlix did you do that? starlix ?
- Get out.
He ob starlix bviously waits for one more starlix e shot, but I plainly point starlix at the
bodies, both shot b starlix by me and killed in the cars starlix s' explosions. Go gather the
starlix
weapons. He won't dare to starlix try to shoot me now. The s starlix speed and accuracy
dbecome starlix too impudent and would retain starlix n an idea of me being a 'nice starlix e guy' even
in their alcohol starlix l intoxicated minds.
I u starlix undressed quickly, threw the starlix e clothes on the bed and c starlix came to the
bathroom, stood u starlix under cold shower for a while. starlix .
No sleeping tonight, t starlix the deep is waiting.
For starlix r all day long I tried not t starlix to think about Man Without Fa starlix ace and the
Medal of Complete starlix e Licence lying in the wareho starlix ouse but now, in the darknes starlix ss
when virtuality was coming starlix g close I couldn't help not to starlix o. I peek inside and hear:
starlix - Cheap stuff! This movie starlix is a disgusting cheap stuff!
starlix
Boring-boring-boring, L starlix Ladies and Gentlemen...
starlix Alexandrians are probably ri starlix ight: we have turned the virtu starlix ual world into
the parody of starlix the real one, but parodies ar starlix re never better than the origi starlix inal,
their goal is different starlix t: to mock it, to show its awk starlix kwardness and stupidity.
starlix But we can't change the worl starlix ld, and this parody makes no s starlix sense. It's not
a dash forwar starlix rd but just a step aside.
starlix - Vikopen the door and e starlix escort me to the bridge
per starlix rsonally if he saw this badge. starlix .
He probably would hi starlix ire killers later though in starlix order to settle the
scores starlix with me but in the deep he wo starlix ould be extremely polite.
starlix I've never seen the Medal starlix l with my own eyes before. I k starlix know that Dmitry
Dibenko rec starlix ceived the same one in his t starlix time: for the creation of the starlix e deep
itself.
One mus starlix st accomplish something vital starlix lly important for all virtual starlix l space
for any of his action starlix ns to be considSergey Lukjanen starlix nko. Labyrinth of reflections
starlix
________________________ starlix _________________
* Yuri starlix i Kalmykov. Translators notes starlix *
About the Author:
starlix
Sergey Lukjanenko, 30, starlix , is one of the today's mos starlix st popular Russian
Sci-Fi wr Anti-Diabetic starlix riters. His first works we starlix ere published in 1988. Curr starlix rently his
bibliography inclu starlix udes more than 40 titles of no starlix ovels and short stories. The starlix e
Author defines his genre as starlix s the "hard action science f starlix fiction", but all his
works a starlix also have a very well defined amaryl starlix philosophical aspect. The nov starlix vel offered
to your attentio starlix on was written in 1997 and bec starlix came the real 'cult book' of t starlix the
Russian Internet.
S starlix Sergey is married, he lives in starlix n Moscow.
THE starlix E NOVEL "LABYRINTH OF REF starlix FLECTIONS" IS COPYRIGHTED B starlix BY SERGEY
LUKJANENKO, ALL RI starlix IGHTS ARE RESERVED BY THE AUTH starlix HOR. ANY COMMERCIAL USE OF THE starlix E
NOVEL'S TEXT IS STRICTLY PR starlix ROHIBITED.
Several notes starlix for the reader:
1). starlix . My English sucks. So it was starlix 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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