2Fairy DustThe alarm sounded for a second time. The little B-flat scale had seemed such a good idea, but now it set his teeth on edge. Billy clicked the acceptance button. The screen showed the profile of a man’s head talking to an out-of-sight companion. He looked like he was calling from an open topped vehicle, and most of the screen was bleached out from the sun.
“Hey, Hux!”
Soren Huxford had cut his long blond hair slightly shorter than usual; it was just above his chin and pushed roughly behind his ears, a decision most probably based on practicality—or the inability to purchase his favorite body-enhancing shampoo in the African desert.
He turned back and his face filled the screen, blocking out the sun. Tiny specks of sand had gathered in the roots of his hair and in the slight cr
