Sword of Dreams (The Reforged Trilogy) Read Online Free Page B

from another team left the new schematics just lying out on his desk. The whole thing, finished and unencrypted. Those plans were worth more than thirty years of pay, if Cedon could just sell them. So he pulled the memory chip and slipped it into his pocket. Easy as that. Once he got off Kahl, all Cedon needed was a rich enough buyer.
    He ran his finger over the patio fence. The metal was spotted with spreading dew, like it had been decorated in delicate glass beads. Cedon flicked the moisture from his finger. It splattered against the window.
    The bright core-world stars and multitude of pearlescent blue-white moons filled the Sipho sky and street with radiance that outshined the light of the arched street lamps. They were more for decoration than anything else. Rains on Sipho were light and short-lived, more like standing in a shower than a real storm. There were never clouds enough to blot out the skylight.
    Sipho was really a rather lovely planet, Cedon decided. Maybe he would stay. With the money he was about to make, he could certainly afford it.
    A shadow fell across the cobblestone-textured road. His buyer had finally arrived. The other man was a little taller than Cedon and wore a long black coat with the collar turned up as though it was a much colder night. There was nothing remarkable about his face or short blond hair, but there was something in his pale blue eyes that made Cedon's throat clench. He cleared it loudly before calling out.
    "Pleasant evening, isn't it?" When he was close enough, Cedon held out his hand. "Hello, I'm Cedon Barnes."
    His customer kept his own hands thrust deeply into his coat pockets. "Do you have the plans?" he asked.
    Cedon sighed. He recognized that accent. Prian. Small wonder the man had no manners.
    "I've got them," Cedon said. "Do you have my money?"
    A curt nod. "Show me the schematics."
    People had no faith. Cedon reached into his jacket and produced the memory chip with a flourish. It was tiny, only about the size of his smallest fingernail. He held it up, just out of the other man's reach. Starlight flashed on the serial number printed along one side: NSS-NIE-288-37D
    "So much precious data on such a tiny thing," Cedon said philosophically. "Amazing, really."
    The Prian did not seem interested in discussion. He was pulling his hand from his pocket, probably eager to pay and go play with his new toy. But the hand that came back up held not colorful cenmarks, but a large gray laser pistol. A sudden dread made Cedon's heart skip. He took a hurried step back and flung his hands into the air.
    "No… No, wait! Did Narsus send you?" he cried.
    "Give me the plans."
    Cedon's heart was working again, but at about ten times its normal pace. It slammed against his ribs as though the muscle might break through and run away all on its own. Terrified, Cedon held out the memory chip, but his hands shook so hard that he dropped it. The man with the gun lunged, grabbing for the tumbling card, but it slid through his fingers. He wore a black half-glove over the hand, but his fingers shone dully metallic in the starlight with the same flat gleam as the gun. Cedon's knees turned to water and he staggered back against the patio fence.
    "Oh, God! A bounty hunter," he moaned. "Help! Somebody help me!"
    Why were the streets so empty? Surely not everyone could be inside. Why didn't someone save Cedon? Why had he ever agreed to a midnight meeting? The bounty hunter flicked his gun at the card on the ground. The blue plastic was almost invisible in his dark shadow.
    "Pick it up," he ordered.
    Cedon pinched the card up from the street. The hunter took the schematics very carefully in his metal hand, inspected them briefly and then dropped the memory chip into his pocket. "Where are the other copies?"
    "Copies? What copies?" Cedon asked.
    "You didn't make any?"
    "No! No! Don't shoot me, please!"
    Some unreadable expression flashed across the hunter's face. He hauled Cedon up by his collar, holstered his