April 3.

  Billy tinued iing course, nressing as much as he would like. They only had the first two parts, but many important ses for the movie were still missing. Something that would gradually diminish, and the scheduled release for June was a foreseen fact.

  -Damn it, my friend. You have to stop making mistakes, - someone said in the distance. He was in bad shape, and it was the sed time he made the same mistake.

  Ronald Emerich got up from his chair. - You have twenty minutes of break. Those with something on their minds, please dista from your thoughts, - he said.

  The sun was strong, and Billy's tan was atuated. He reached what was an attempt at a dressing room, and there was Russel Kurt, doing push-ups with drops of sreading on the floor.

  -Billy, my friend, - said Kurt.

  -Kurt, - said Billy, taking a seat, feeling zy; he had slept terribly i few days.

  -e on, kid, e here, and do push-ups with me. I bet that by the time we finish filming the movie, you'll already have some meat on those arms of yours, - said Kurt.

  -Am I as skinny as everyone says? - Billy thought.

  Kurt is the sed person, like Dohlp. Both witness a ck of strength, or is it a predominant culture in the 90s for men to have strong muscles?

  -Thanks, sir, but I'm so mentally exhausted that if I exercise, I think I would use up all my good luck. But hey, my room is o yours; we go jogging in the m, - said Billy.

  -What time do you leave? - Kurt asked.

  -Before six in the m, the heat is unbearable to go out ter, - said Billy.

  -Great, I'll pick you up tomorrow, - said Kurt, smiling.

  -Tomorrow m, I hope you keep up with me, - Billy joked. He has been jogging for five months for 30 to 40 minutes every day; exercise is as necessary as sharpening his mind.

  -My dear boy, you're talking to an expert, and speaking of which, this girl Mi has been very atteo you, - Kurt said, seeing Mi smiling in the distance. But he didn't interrupt the versatioweewo.

  -You're missing out, boy. You know, little Mi has been looking at you with desire i few days, - Kurt said.

  -Are you sure? I think she prefers more mature men, - Billy said.

  -Oh, e on, boy! A man like me has had enough of women. I'm happily married, and staying away from women makes my marriage very healthy, my boy. Hollywood marriages are based on trust and staying away from all the women you might sider. No, boy, she wants to be with you. It's normal at her age to want some adveo ighe fme, - Kurt said.

  tinuing with the push-ups, he was already at the 50th repetition. He performed them slowly and smoothly, pausing at times, but his job was demanding, as evidenced by the tight muscles and the agitation in his voice with each challengiition.

  -She's beautiful, but for now, it's good to foy career, - said Billy.

  Oh, and the little Alice. Billy thought.

  -Wise of you, but if you want a career, it's good to drop that frown. And socialize a bit. For example, he little assistant, has es with various people, like Ronald Emerid Person Gore. You know the director, but Gore is a somewhat old producer, who happens to be Nigel's uncle. Even though he cks talent for direg, he has it for produg. He invited me; when he wants something, he gets it. Although he likes you for your perfect work, a little friendship won't hurt anyone, - said Kurt.

  -I'm not very good at retionships, but I be friendly, - said Billy.

  -Bill, you're a serious and strange person... that was the idea we all had at first, until yeioned in a meeting that you're a method actor who tends to immerse himself in roles to the extent that you often stay in character after the performance, - said Kurt.

  -I didn't know. It wasn't my iion, - said Billy, somewhat surprised.

  W on personal retionships. This socializing, he lost it, and work doesn't help much to start versations out of nowhere ahe ter of attention for everyone or i with everyone in a certain way.

  -Kid, don't worry, just smile mreet people, and nod whealk to you. You don't o be talkative, just friendly enough for them to start the versation, - said Kurt.

  -Does that work? - said Billy.

  --It worked for me; I think I'll go,-- said Kurt, getting up from the floor. He approached Billy and said, --Just py along, kid. She's not a bad girl, --

  Mi arrived as soon as Kurt disappeared.

  -Hello," she said.

  -Mi, how's it going? - Billy asked.

  -Very well. I was surprised not to see you yesterday at the team dihe crew gathered for di the hotel, - Mi said.

  -I was indisposed. I apologize for not exg myself to everyone, but I sent my regards to Nigel, - Billy said.

  -Well, Nigel fot to send his regards, - Mi said.

  -You have something in your... - Billy said, caressing Mi's hair.

  -You'll have to recover; we'll finish early today. Maybe there's another dinner, - Mi said.

  - we have diogether? - Billy said, as an of apology.

  -With pleasure. I'd be delighted, - Mi said.

  -See you in the lobby, - Billy said, lost in Kurt's words.

  -See you ter, - Mi said, her charming smile shining. The only imperfe was the mole on her cheek, which highlighted her well-cared-for and bronzed skin even more.

  Billy felt the urge to kiss her right there, but he khat his sweet Alice's heart would break if she saw him flirting the way he did with Mi; she would be devastated. He uands Kurt's words now, but he doesn't deny Mi's charm. At twenty-ohe enting Mi is undoubtedly a woman who gee attra.

  -Wait, where's your at from? There's always been something that has piqued my curiosity, - said Billy.

  -That's for dinner, - Mi replied, moving away, swaying her hips in a gesture that seemed natural, as if the geiany years were drawn to that particur movement.

  -We start in five minutes, - Nigel shouted from a distance.

  Mi turned back. - I think I o get ready. There's not much time left for us to meet. During that time, Daniel, I hope you're as charming as Bill, - Mi said, pg her hand on his chest.

  -It'll be quite aertaining petition. In the five days, I'll push your performance as much as I , - Billy said.

  -Oh, more rebellious than I initially thought, - Mi said.

  -You always have an answer for everything. See you o, - said Billy.

  Mi exited as Billy adjusted his gsses, a trademark of Daniel Ja, a character indiscriminately shy.

  -Good afternoon, Billy. Keep up the good work. The director is pleased, though he prefers a more natural performaill, it's a great act, - Nigel said.

  Preparing for his round, - Wait, Nigel, could you get me some suns, please? - Billy asked.

  -Of course. Go to the pyramid; they need you for the rec. They'll start filming ihan five minutes, - Nigel said.

  Billy walked through the desert toward the rge pyramid covered with some bck tarps, and on it, the green ss covered a special pce where the Stargate was. The shots were the special base.

  -Everyone in position, - said a young man.

  Billy walked to the pyramid, and a green s behind him. There was Ronald Emerich with a camera, cheg the lights and anizing that every shot was in order.

  Se 79, take 2.

  Daransphe star circle with his hand, a silly smile on his face, but not on the faces of others who were scared by the shapes in which the stelr journey unfolded.

  He had barely touched the bright pne of the Gate with his eyebrows when radiant turns, a small blue door that extended linearly, crashed so fast that he didn't have time to react. When he recoiled, he was already out of Earth's atmosphere, thrown into a bck silence like a fish, spinning out of trol, moving blindly in ielr darkness. For a sed, he thought he was slipping until a fold in the energy field gave him the final push. No gravity, no trol, no sense of dire.

  -Ja, are you okay? - It was Kawalsky, who had the man, the military team looked on with fear and anticipation of some deadly trap or perhaps an unknown and uninhabited danger.

  Billy started trembling, just as Kawalsky described in the script. Kawalsky stopped shaking Billy/Daniel, who tried to shiver and breathe forcefully since fear had ied his being.

  -Everyone's okay, - el O'Neil said.

  -We o repeat that attack maneuver, - Ferretti, a soldier whose demeanor unk, said.

  They lit some fres that illumihe dark chamber.

  -All right, dies, let's get to work, -- O'Neill's voice echoed. -- Phase one. Only the essentials. -

  All the soldiers were serious and nodded.

  O'Neal began barking orders.

  -Ferretti, you lead. First group, move out, - the voice owerful.

  Everyone followed the steps with extreme care. Ferretti crossed the threshold, a short corridor that led him upwards, carrying the rifle on his shoulder and being as alert as the actor could interpret. The cameras shifted to Daniel/Billy, who was in front of ander Kurt/O'Neal.

  Billy tio survey the entire chamber by touch. The murals were engraved with writing, and Daopped being the shy guy, transf into the archaeologist who had dedicated his entire life. The hazel-green eyes lit up behind the camera, which was capturing his eyes and profile.

  When fans saw the shot, they would think of more than just a person guided by archaeology. Billy had an air of something more special as if he were an explorer. Billy's profile was very good and very photogenic.

  He walked straight, eager to see what was beyond the alley. Surely something was iing, with bright eyes illuminated by a dream of seeing more samples of archaeology at a level never seen before, the secret of the pyramids of Egypt.

  Daarted to move forward down the corridor, totally unfazed by the palpable fear surrounding him. He passed two soldiers.

  -Not you, idiot. Stay here, - Freman said, grabbing him by the shoulder with force.

  -Uh... sorry, but I have something to check, - Billy stopped. But, in the urn, there was light, sunlight.

  Both were nervous. Quite nervous.

  -The external ditions are simir to the interior. There's no danger of radiation, aromagic radiation is normal, - said O'Neal, who was the group leader.

  They walked until they saw the desert, a long and ft desert.

  - Cut. -

  Ronald began to review the shots, and his face lit up, while his forehead wrinkled with some tid effort.

  -That was great. We'll do a sed take, and we'll tih the shots. Adjust the desert camp, and we'll shoot some ses at night with the tribe, - said Ronald Emerich, pleased with the good take.

  ...