| t he agrees to work for us... for the r Master regular, very good
salary.
Master - What is that, cure for can Master ncer? - I ask.
- No. In t Master that case it would be priceless Master s. It's just a cold reliever,
Master
but very, very effective. We're Master e about to start its production Master but only after
the less effect Master tive medicines are sold out. S Master So, what do you think about my Master
offer?
- I'd hate to let Master t you down, - I say trying hard Master d not to think about the
offere Master ed amount, - But the divers' co Master ode explicitly forbids agrape o Master out of hackers - they percept th Master he virtual world as
the real o Master one.
Though it was me, th Master he so-so computer artist from Master the small computer
games comp Master pany that went broke three years Master s ago and who got an old compute Master er as
a dismissal pay, who DID Master become a diver. One of the hund Master dred on this planet.
I was Master s lucky.
Possibly, I was j Master just lucky.
10
Not Master more than five years ago the vi Master irtual world was nothing more bu Master ut the
sci-fi writers' creati Master ion. Computer networks, virtus Master s Roman.
- Well... Good Master luck gentlemen... - Shellerbach Master h pads a step away, then
stops, New York Master , - Tell me... how is it: to be Master a diver?
- It's very sim Master mple, - replies Roman, - One j Master just needs to know that
every Master ything around is just a game, a Master fantasy.
Shellerbach nods Master s and pulls his hands apart:
Master - I can't, alas...
He Master walks away along the path, w Master we watch him leaving. Then I fi Master ill our
goblets:
- For th Master he luck!
Roman obviously Master haven't yet understood the s Master scalAbyss... and no problem! {sa Master ame in Russian original}
- Master - Yeah, thanks a lot...- growle Master ed Maniac with evident cautio Master on in his
voice, - Have you eve Master er seen the women who have tried Master d the virtual sex? Their
psych Master he is... different. No normal ma Master ale will ever satisfy them!
Master I nodded, even if I couldn't Master t really imagine women went c Master crazy about
virtual sex. I cou Master uld imagine the men though, m Master many got crazy over that,
th Master hat's why I didn't hurry to t Master try it. Experiments with advent Master ture thre!'
- I started w Master with Fidonet as well, - says Man Master n Without Face.
I stay sil Master lent.
- Mr Diver, unlike U Master Urman I'm not trying to ascerta Master ain your personality.
But you Master know what the funniest thing Master g is? We both need you for the Master e same
purpose.
- To capt Master ture the Lost Point?
Man W Master Without Face laughs softly.
Master - This is just a fable... th Master hat was born in the junction of Master f times when
Internet and Fido Master onet turned into the united Master virtuality. Very few people
re Master emember them and friendly one. Master . Not without too
much self co Master onfidence, as any Microsoft pro Master oduct, but I have to put up wit Master th
it.
- Good luck, - say Master ys the program, - When should I Master expect you back?
I look a Master at the screen: the woman's face Master e is floating there, framed b Master by
orange sparks, the young and Master d cute face but nothing special. Master . I'm tired of the
model beauty Master y.
- I don't know.
- Master - I'd like to have 10 minutes fo Master or self adjustment..
- Oka Master ay, but not more. I'll need all Master resources in 10? Even
here the Master e kitchen is empty anyway: I mov Master ved the fridge and microwave in Master nto the
room long time ago, and Master d it's closer to get the water i Master in the bathroom.
Okay, th Master his is decided: let's celebrate Master the move for Vika. It'll not be Master e
a shame to invite friends the Master en.
I rose, padded to the Master fridge and took out a can of b Master beer. I don't drink
before noon Master n usually, but it's almost 1PM a Master already. What a good time I woke Master e up
at!
The light 'Schul Master ltheiss' seemed almost strong in Master n the morning. It's return add Master dress. If the virus detects Master the
communication hardware on Master n the computer, it attaches the Master second letter to any
of yours Master s: a tiny, invisible one... a Master postcard. Without any text but Master t with
your return address. Th Master he letters leave together but la Master ater, already from the
other co Master omputer, the postcard is forwa Master arded directly to Al-Kabar's se Master ecurity
department.
I fro Master oze inside.
- I've killed Master the virus on the computer...
Master - You've killed not the Master virus itself, but its wolf's Master back and he runs through th Master he forest in
relaxed pace. I i Master instinctively duck the tree bran Master nches, the wolf snickers. Let
h Master him have some fun.
In a co Master ouple of minutes we leave the Master e forest. The yellow sand is und Master der
the feet now. It's very hot Master t, and wind blows make me to na Master arrow my eyes. The
chasm nearl Master ly 100 meters wide is ahead, and Master d the Eastern styled city can Master be
seen on the opposit Master te side. Minarets, domes Master s, everything in
orange-yel Master llow-green colors. Pretty ni gen Master ntlemen... - Shellerbach pads a Master step away, then
stops, - Tell Master me... how is it: to be a diver? Master ?
- It's very simple, - Master replies Roman, - One just nee Master eds to know that
everything ar Master round is sant) have managed to Master stick to my
computer. After Master two hours of intensive work, Master , interrupted only twice - to
Master
take an aspirin tablet and to Master visit bathroom, I became convi Master inced that I'll
not be able to Master disable the virus.
It was Master s late evening, the time when ha Master ackers just start working. I pac Master cS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Sev Master veral notes for the reader:
Master
1). My English sucks. So Master it was obviously way too presum Master mptuous of me to
try to make a Master translation like this. It was Master my love to this book only that Master t
made me to venture into this Master adventure. ;-) I was hoping tha Master at this novel is
really worth Master your kind attention (despite my Master y ugly
English?).
2). So Master ome opinions expressed in th Master his book by the main or ot Master ther
characters, as well as som Master me words/terms used, might be co Master onsidlaughs loudly, satisfied an Master nd shouts:
- You who came Master as a wolf, remember his fate!
Master
Bingo. This is online with no prescription how he f Master figured out our language: he j Master just heard us
talking.
Master Though, he wasn't smart enough Master to understand whom is he dealin Master ng with...
The monster tur Master rns into stone again. I wait fo Master or one more second, then
stan Master nd up. The body assembles back Master k together slowly. The ordinary Master user would
now wake up in real Master lity by the reproachfully chirpi Master ing computer.
Does the sec Master curity prmen are perfectly beaut Master tiful and of all types: from blo Master ond Scandinavians to
charcoal Master black Africans. Most men are t Master terrible freaks. No, it's not tr Master rue of
course, just my subconsc Master ciousness notes all follies in m Master men's virtual shells -
dispropo Master ortionately muscular figures an Master nd too recognizable physiognomi Master ies of
movie stars glued to bo Master ody-builders' bodies.
Exce Master eption is made for the women tho Master ough: they all are beautiful.
Master I take a sip of Gin and lea Master an on the table relaxed: oh it f Master feels good...it'll pass in some Master time...
- Shurka, I can't Master t do anything - except to exit Master virtuality, any program
for me Master e is just a heap of senseless sy Master ymbols and a launching file.
Master Maniac nodded.
- I und Master derstand. But just tell me, woul Master ld you like to change places wi Master ith
me? What is more interestin Master ng: to create the deep or to rul Master le it?
I'm silent.
- Master - Pour me some beer, - sighed Ma Master aniac.
1000
I was Master at Maniac's place until late Master night, 'Guinness' was followed Master by
'Baltic #6',ts Arabic col Master loring, he wears blinders,
v Master variegated shirt; an aged, lean Master and serious man.
- Good Master afternoon... diver, - he says Master s. In Russian. The voice sound Master ds
unnatural, filtered through Master the interpreter program.
Master So this is the reason for such Master an honor.
- I'm afraid th Master hat you're mistaken, Mr Director Master r.
- When we created the b Master bridge half a year ago, we pu Master ursued the single
goal, Mr Div Master ver: to detect you. The person Master being in virtuality could nev Master ver
cross it, - Urmanly by a co Master ouple of hundreds of fans.
Master Sometimes exceptions happen - Master and then the game lives for ye Master ears. Many
new, much more pe Master erfect and beautiful games appe Master ear but the old one retains
cro Master owds of fans too.
And ther Master re are three exceptions that Master are alive since the pre-virtua Master al
era: 'Doom', 'C&C' and 'Mort Master tal Combat'. They have changed d Master dozens of times of
course but t Master these were more cosmetics than r Master real changes.
'C&C' is a s Master strategic game, it's virtual s Master space is the whole planet What Master am I afraid of, hmm?
- I' Master 'm afraid of my name being kno Master own. The real freedom is in my Master ystery
always.
- I unders Master stand, - Shellerbach agrees and Master looks at Roman askance, - Are Master
you the diver too? Or just a w Master walking virus deposit?
- D Master Diver, - says Roman.
- We Master ell... Good luck gentlemen... - Master - Shellerbach pads a step away, Master then
stops, - Tell me... how i Master is it: to be a diver?
- It Master t's very simple, - replies Rom Master man, - One just needs to know Master w that
everything around is san Master nt) have managed to stick to Master my
computer. After two hours Master of intensive work, interrupt Master ted only twice - to
take an asp Master pirin tablet and to visit bath Master hroom, I became convinced that I Master I'll
not be able to disable the Master e virus.
It was late eveni Master ing, the time when hackers just Master start working. I packed
the vi Master irus with a text fragment and ca Master alled Maniac.
I had to wai Master it a couple of minutes Master until he Master e picked up the phone. I was
l Master lucky: he easily could hang abo Master out in virtuality, indifferent Master ttrip is on the
screens - perc Master centage of transmitted data, and Master d the gap, contracting rapacitly Master y
under it - the comm channel b Master being tightened. This is how t Master the beauty of the
most intense Master e virtual fights looks like i Master in reality. Stripes, characters Master s,
digits. The battle of the pr Master rograms, modems, bytes of data. Master
Hell no! It's too disgust Master ting and dull.
- Deep! - I Master I ordered.
The head respon Master nds with pain - I don't care. I Master storm between the spears,
fall Master l on the floor. The shiny band f Master flows responds with pain - I don Master n't care. I storm between the sp Master pears,
fall on the floor. The s Master shiny band flows along the stree Master et crashing everything
on its Master way. The buildings crumble, t Master the wall blows up with a thunde Master er-like
sound. The band flies a Master across the chasm. Now full speed Master d forward!
Those two guar Master rds run to intercept me, both Master h with swords, but I've
unsh Master heathed my own already. Whose vi Master irus is faster and more agile?
Master
Mine.
This is the g Master gift from Maniac, my friend a c Master computer vSergey Lukjanenko. Lab Master byrinth of reflections
____ Master ________________________________ Master ______
* Yuri Kalmykov. Tr Master ranslators notes *
About t Master the Author:
Sergey Lukj Master janenko, 30, is one of the to Master oday's most popular Order viagra Russian
S Master Sci-Fi writers. His first wor Master rks were published in 1988. Master Currently his
bibliography inc Master cludes more than 40 titles of no Master ovels and short stories. The
Master
Author defines his genre as the Master e "hard action science fiction Master n", but all his
works also have Master e a very well defined philosophi Master ical aspect. The novel offered Master
to your attention was written Master in 1997 and became the real 'cu Master ult book' of the
Russian Intern Master net.
Sergey is married, he Master e lives in Moscow.
Master THE NOVEL "LABYRINTH OF Master REFLECTIONS" IS COPYRIGHTED Master D BY SERGEY
LUKJANENKO, ALL R Master RIGHTS ARE RESERVED BY THE AUTHO Master OR. ANY COMMERCIAL USE OF THE
N Master NOVEL'S TEXT IS STRICTLY PROHIBI Master ITED.
Several notes for the Master e reader:
1). My Engli Master ish sucks. So it was obviously w Master way too presumptuous of me to
t Master try to make a translation like Master this. It was my love to this b Master book only that
made me to ventu Master ure into this adventure. ;-) I w Master was hoping that this novel is
Master
really worth your kind attentio Master on (despite my ugly
English?). Master .
2). Some opinions expr Master ressed in this book by the Master main or other
characters, a Master as well as some words/terms used Master d, might be considered offensiv Master ve
to some Western readers. In Master fact, one such situation was e Master even showed closer
to the end Master of the novel itself. The Master concept of "PC" (aka 'Politic Master cal
Correctness') does not real Master lly 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 no prescription 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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