| l green apple on the lower branch.
I look at the desired fruit. I cf the texas homeowner advocate It's small, not ripe and wormy.
cf the texas homeowner advocate - How do you think diver, how much c cf the texas homeowner advocate could our competitors pay for this
f cf the texas homeowner advocate file?
- Around ten grands, - I r cf the texas homeowner advocate raise the price somehow.
Urman l cf the texas homeowner advocate looks at me surprised, makes it more e cf the texas homeowner advocate exact:
- Ten thousand dollars?
cf the texas homeowner advocate
- Yes.
- To be honest, e cf the texas homeowner advocate even 100 thousand would be not enough cf the texas homeowner advocate h... Okay. Let's
assume that I offer cf the texas homeowner advocate 150.000 to the person that tries to cf the texas homeowner advocate steal the file, on
te occupied. Jus cf the texas homeowner advocate st imagine how will I look like for m cf the texas homeowner advocate my
colleagues.
She's absolutel cf the texas homeowner advocate ly sincere and clever. Good girl, I r cf the texas homeowner advocate really hope she's
just as open and cf the texas homeowner advocate bright in reality too.
I nod, - cf the texas homeowner advocate - Good luck then.
- Thanks, oh m cf the texas homeowner advocate mysterious Anonymous, - Nadya bends cf the texas homeowner advocate to me and kisses my
cheek.
- cf the texas homeowner advocate Lenia, marker! - whisper the clips on cf the texas homeowner advocate n my shoulders.
I take an antiv cf the texas homeowner advocate virus handkerchief and wipe the lips cf the texas homeowner advocate stick print from my
cheek, wave a fin cf the texas homeowner advocate nger to Nadya with a warning:
- cf the texas homeowner advocate Girlike him? - asks the guy with hope cf the texas homeowner advocate e.
- Yeah... - I stop. The charlotte homeowner insurance beer cf the texas homeowner advocate makes my mood benevolent, - Are you n cf the texas homeowner advocate new in
the deep?
- In what? A cf the texas homeowner advocate Ah yes.. new.
- It's a bad form cf the texas homeowner advocate to put on appearances of famous peop cf the texas homeowner advocate ple, and also the
sign of newbie. cf the texas homeowner advocate . Try to construct your own cf the texas homeowner advocate personality... use
'Bioconstructor cf the texas homeowner advocate r' for instance and work a little.
cf the texas homeowner advocate - 'Bioconstructor'? - asks the guy cf the texas homeowner advocate y confused.
- Yes. A very simpl cf the texas homeowner advocate le program with Russian interface, it cf the texas homeowner advocate t is scattered
around gh.
- Ye cf the texas homeowner advocate es, it's never enough time. Well, Mr cf the texas homeowner advocate Diver, I have the reasons to
suspe cf the texas homeowner advocate ect that some persons would like to ob cf the texas homeowner advocate btain some of our technologies, and
e cf the texas homeowner advocate even managed to hire a diver... in ord cf the texas homeowner advocate der to reap where they have not sown.
cf the texas homeowner advocate
- The apples, - I add.
- cf the texas homeowner advocate Exactly. We have a good Russian progr cf the texas homeowner advocate rammer working for us, he created
a cf the texas homeowner advocate nice design for data storage... - Urm cf the texas homeowner advocate man claps his hands and the air dims
cf the texas homeowner advocate
between us, becoming dense. One mome cf the texas homeowner advocate ent - and the small tree appears, cf the texas homeowner advocate all
ease be more specific if possibl cf the texas homeowner advocate le.
The girl is the courtesy i cf the texas homeowner advocate itself but it's not easier to break t cf the texas homeowner advocate through
her barrier than through the cf the texas homeowner advocate monster by Al-Kabar's bridge.
- cf the texas homeowner advocate - I have a confidential information fo cf the texas homeowner advocate or "Labyrinth"'s management.
- B cf the texas homeowner advocate But still I'd like you to state the go cf the texas homeowner advocate oal of your visit briefly.
Ah we cf the texas homeowner advocate ell...
- I'd like to relay to Mr cf the texas homeowner advocate r Guillermo Aguirre that I'm informed cf the texas homeowner advocate about the
small problem that have cf the texas homeowner advocate e arisen recently and about the fact cf the texas homeowner advocate t that divers
cooperatin virtuality? cf the texas homeowner advocate ?! Is
it some weird kind of psycholog cf the texas homeowner advocate gic aberration?...
- Thanks for cf the texas homeowner advocate the beer, - I say to the girl and wal cf the texas homeowner advocate lk out of the park.
My mood can' cf the texas homeowner advocate 't be called lousy, but it's odd. I cf the texas homeowner advocate toil myself along the
clubs' buildi cf the texas homeowner advocate ings. Through the barred windows of t cf the texas homeowner advocate the Martial Arts club I can
see the cf the texas homeowner advocate fragile built Eastern looking guy d cf the texas homeowner advocate demonstrating some complicated
moves cf the texas homeowner advocate s. In the open air type cinema called cf the texas homeowner advocate 'Movies' the imposing man gestures
e cf the texas homeowner advocate energetically standing before the scre cf the texas homeowner advocate een. I rich and famous, what are yo cf the texas homeowner advocate ou trying to do? To
understand ho cf the texas homeowner advocate ow it dawned upon you or to invent s cf the texas homeowner advocate something more amazing? Or
just lead cf the texas homeowner advocate your dissolute life and smoke the g cf the texas homeowner advocate grass as much as you want? Or
wander cf the texas homeowner advocate r along Deeptown's streets all arou cf the texas homeowner advocate und the clock looking at your
cr cf the texas homeowner advocate reation?
I wish I knew that, but cf the texas homeowner advocate t - not to be in your shoes, because cf the texas homeowner advocate e you're not
more than the ordinary cf the texas homeowner advocate y virtuality inhabitant, even with al cf the texas homeowner advocate ll your millions
and Octium prototype cf the texas homeowner advocate e as a home computer. The red percent cf the texas homeowner advocate of 'strength'
on the screen, but so cf the texas homeowner advocate omething the wound is supposed to b cf the texas homeowner advocate be: pain, weakness,
fear. He realize cf the texas homeowner advocate ed that the bloody floor becomes sl cf the texas homeowner advocate lippery, that the stony
slab behind w cf the texas homeowner advocate which the shells are hidden is really cf the texas homeowner advocate heavy, that ejected shells
are hot a cf the texas homeowner advocate and rocket launcher's recoil nearly cf the texas homeowner advocate knocks him off his feet, that
the cf the texas homeowner advocate health potion is bitter and loathsome cf the texas homeowner advocate e, that the armor cheap car insurance turned out to be
m cf the texas homeowner advocate made of thin metal plates and is prett cf the texas homeowner advocate ty lightweight - but a little too bagg cf the texas homeowner advocate gy
and looking. Whoops! and his glas cf the texas homeowner advocate ss is
empty again but he doesn't get cf the texas homeowner advocate drunk anyway.
My, how I hate t cf the texas homeowner advocate the mystery covering us! We fear each cf the texas homeowner advocate h other. We fear
everything.
cf the texas homeowner advocate - Well, but the weather is nice... - cf the texas homeowner advocate I toss in randomly.
- Yeah.. sn cf the texas homeowner advocate nowy is this summer... - says the Wer cf the texas homeowner advocate rewolf and looks at me
with irony. cf the texas homeowner advocate He recognizes this place, it does sti cf the texas homeowner advocate ir something up in his soul.
It's not cf the texas homeowner advocate t for me to know what exactly.
I cf the texas homeowner advocate I fill the heavy ceramic cup with m cf the texas homeowner advocate mulled wine, sniff the aros a weapon cf the texas homeowner advocate n: he either
entered the 33rd level l cf the texas homeowner advocate like this or was killed here already. cf the texas homeowner advocate After demise in
"Labyrinth" the pla cf the texas homeowner advocate ayer is being restored at the begi cf the texas homeowner advocate inning of the level
automatically, w cf the texas homeowner advocate with minimum of gear.
- This is cf the texas homeowner advocate ridiculous, - I said.
- What? - cf the texas homeowner advocate - Guillermo is interested.
- For cf the texas homeowner advocate r how long is he there?
- For 39 cf the texas homeowner advocate 9 hours. We trace players since their cf the texas homeowner advocate getting into the system.
So Man cf the texas homeowner advocate n Without Face got interested in Unfo cf the texas homeowner advocate ortunate almost as soon as he
got int cf the texas homeowner advocate to "Labyrection.
- Toss it here! cf the texas homeowner advocate ! - said Maniac, hanging up instantly. cf the texas homeowner advocate .
I started the modem and sent A cf the texas homeowner advocate Al-Kabar's surprise to greedy hands of cf the texas homeowner advocate f the
virus creator, then opened the cf the texas homeowner advocate fridge, took out bread and sausage a cf the texas homeowner advocate and moved
to the kitchen to set the cf the texas homeowner advocate teapot on the stove. It'll take Mani cf the texas homeowner advocate iac at least
half an hour to examine cf the texas homeowner advocate e the virus. For the first ten minutes cf the texas homeowner advocate s he'll break it,
then for 20 minutes cf the texas homeowner advocate s more he'll admire its structure, w cf the texas homeowner advocate will laugh looking at
unsuccessful so cf the texas homeowner advocate olutions and frown finding s
Som cf the texas homeowner advocate metimes exceptions happen - and then t cf the texas homeowner advocate the game lives for years. Many
new, cf the texas homeowner advocate , much more perfect and beautiful g cf the texas homeowner advocate games appear but the old one retains
cf the texas homeowner advocate
crowds of fans too.
And there cf the texas homeowner advocate are three exceptions that are alive cf the texas homeowner advocate e since the pre-virtual
era: 'Doom', cf the texas homeowner advocate , 'C&C' and 'Mortal Combat'. They have cf the texas homeowner advocate e changed dozens of times of
course b cf the texas homeowner advocate but these were more cosmetics than rea cf the texas homeowner advocate al changes.
'C&C' is a strategic cf the texas homeowner advocate c game, it's virtual space is the wh cf the texas homeowner advocate hole planet. On
this humble target ra cf the texas homeowner advocate ange thoseourse.
The dragon hits cf the texas homeowner advocate s him with his paw gently and it sca cf the texas homeowner advocate atters down in icy
fragments. All t cf the texas homeowner advocate three heads bow down to him, searching cf the texas homeowner advocate g for the stolen apple.
I'm runn cf the texas homeowner advocate ning away.
The apple in my poc cf the texas homeowner advocate cket becomes lighter and lighter - th cf the texas homeowner advocate he data flows
into my computer. I cf the texas homeowner advocate dodge between the trees, then stop cf the texas homeowner advocate p so that it'd be
easier for Windows cf the texas homeowner advocate s-Home to download the file. The drago cf the texas homeowner advocate on's roar reaches me,
it haven't fou cf the texas homeowner advocate und the apple and understood what happ cf the texas homeowner advocate pened. Who is faster?
Tell...
cf the texas homeowner advocate - I'd like to relay to Mr Guiller cf the texas homeowner advocate rmo Aguirre that I'm informed about th cf the texas homeowner advocate he
small problem that have arisen cf the texas homeowner advocate recently and about the fact that d cf the texas homeowner advocate divers
cooperating with you had fail cf the texas homeowner advocate led to solve it. I'm going to offer my cf the texas homeowner advocate y services
in solving this problem.
cf the texas homeowner advocate
The secretary nods.
- One cf the texas homeowner advocate moment please.
She stands up wi cf the texas homeowner advocate ithout a hurry and enters one of the i cf the texas homeowner advocate inner doors. I wait
patiently. Every cf the texas homeowner advocate ything is very cute and patriarch cf the texas homeowner advocate hal: no computers, no
monsters. It' cf the texas homeowner advocate 's not the bartender smiles but it's cf the texas homeowner advocate just an automatic
courtesy:
- cf the texas homeowner advocate Hi! What would you like to drink?
cf the texas homeowner advocate - Gin-Tonic with ice, as usual.
cf the texas homeowner advocate I watch bartender cheap car insurance quote mixing the drin cf the texas homeowner advocate nk. Tonic is the real Shweppes, Gin i cf the texas homeowner advocate is
the decent Beefeater. The liquor c cf the texas homeowner advocate companies allow to use their trade cf the texas homeowner advocate marks
and products' images in virtu cf the texas homeowner advocate uality for just a symbolic charge: it cf the texas homeowner advocate t's a good
advertisement. Pepsi is f cf the texas homeowner advocate free at all: it was their marketing cf the texas homeowner advocate g trick. Coke
costs as much as in re cf the texas homeowner advocate eality though.
And it ha plainl cf the texas homeowner advocate ly point at the
bodies, both shot b cf the texas homeowner advocate by me and killed in the cars' explos cf the texas homeowner advocate sions. Go gather the
weapons. He w cf the texas homeowner advocate won't dare to try to shoot me now. cf the texas homeowner advocate The speed and accuracy
demonstrate cf the texas homeowner advocate ed by me is practically impossible cheap auto insurance cf the texas homeowner advocate for an ordinary player, only
for the diver... and an old doomer who is used to the mouse.
Doomers already were divided into 'keyboardists' and 'mousists'. The
eternal argument who is cooler was never solved: virtuality had come.
Now I dot the "i's".
We go to the right, behind the shelf with Mac software. Illiquid stuff,
only a few people now use these computers. There were humans and
Neanderthals, then IBM and Apple. Stub evolution branches aren't viable. The
small table piled with papers is behind the shelves, two chairs by it. We
sit down.
- Invisible Boss is the tale of the same times. - says Man Without
Face. - Boss was the higher step in Fidonet hierarchy. It was boss to whom
those who wanted to becos up so
that the hair bridge breaks but can't reach me. Neither can he move from his
position: it's fixed firmly on its comm channel.
On the last meters the band starts shaking suddenly and tries to kick
me back: Al-Kabar's programmers have restored the control.
But it's too late, I'm on the ground already and the Wolf rushes to me:
- Jump on me NOW Ivan, time to scarper!
I leap on the wolf in an instant, look back for the last time. The
guards jump down fromex's plan.
- I was playing 'Deathmatch' when you even couldn't reach up to the
keyboard, - I friendly say in parting. The body will decay quickly, in
around 6 hours. That's how it is made here, otherwise all "Labyrinth"'s
space would be filled up with bones.
The station building gets closer. I look at it trying to understand
what have changed since my last time here. It seems to me that tower at the
right wing was missing before.
The section car passes ick-Protector'
also. Nothing else could come into my mind after that, just some messy ideas
about the second phone line and second modem - in order for Vika to be able
to cf the texas homeowner advocate download mail and do some other simple tasks while I'm traveling in the
deep.
It's a bit far too much though. Even Maniac doesn't have second phone
line.
By the way, I owe him beer, it looks very much like he saved my life
yesterday.
And it's better not to procrastinate with it: I've got the sSergey 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
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 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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