Polly could scarcely believe the changes she'd experienced since meeting Chate and Maria. She'd spent yesterday getting used to the creatures that now lived inside her, adjusting to feeling like she was a star, and now this morning Maria had announced that she was taking Polly and Chate to meet the director. Polly wasn't at all surprised to learn that the director was none other than Leonard De Sande.

In daylight, his mansion looked far less intimidating and impressive than it had in the darkness when she had first visited the place. Nevertheless, it was still an incredible building, oozing wealth and prosperity. The American Dream made real. Except for one side of it, where the peace of the landscaped garden and polished clean brickwork had been shattered by the bomb blast.

Bright yellow police-cordon tape had been wrapped around the edge of the building, window frames, brick debris and shattered antiques lay scattered across the grass, and LAPD officers swarmed around the garden looking for clues. A makeshift tarpaulin had been placed over the blown-out area to keep the elements out, but the building still looked like something out of the Blitz.

'Who did this?' Polly asked.

'Someone pretty jerked with De Sande,' Chate said, adjusting his jet-black shades. Polly was ahead of Chate and Maria, who were bringing up the rear with their arms around each other, but as they neared the front door Chate tilted his eyebrows towards Polly in a gesture that told her to let him do the talking.

A young policeman in a sparkling blue uniform stood proudly in front of the door.

'Excuse me,' Chate said, about to push past the cop.

'I'm sorry, sir,' the young man said tilting his head regretfully, 'no unauthorised persons are allowed inside the building at this time.' He said his lines with a hint of a smile on his face, as if he'd been waiting all day to say this.

'You new to the force, kid?' Chate asked.

The policeman looked indignant. 'I'll have you know I've been in the LAPD three months now.'

Chate laughed. 'Not surprised you don't recognise me. I'm Captain Wallis's son, you know.'

The cop looked startled. ' The The Captain Wallis?' Captain Wallis?'

Chate nodded. 'So don't give me any hassle, OK? I have an appointment with Mr De Sande, so if you 'd kindly let me through I'd be most grateful.'

'Er, I'm not sure.' The cop looked worried, paused for a moment to consider what to do, then pushed the door and fell in as it was opened from the inside.

'Sorry, officer,' said the familiar voice of De Sande, as the cop crashed to the floor. 'Are my friends being disrespectful?'

'Er, no, sir,' the cop said, getting up and adjusting his hat. 'I was just letting them through, sir.'

'Keep up the good work.' De Sande turned to the others and grinned. 'Maria, welcome. It's so good to see you. Sorry about the security, but after what's happened I can't be too careful.'

Polly, Maria and Chate stepped over the threshold, past the embarrassed policeman and into a hallway that looked even grander than Polly remembered it being.

'This way,' De Sande said, ushering them into an office, panelled in stained wood, that led away from the entrance hall.

A formal desk stood in one corner of the room, as did a sinister-looking figure draped in a hooded blue robe that covered its head. In the middle of the office was a coffee table, in front of which stood a cluster of comfortable armchairs. De Sande gestured for his visitors to sit down and, once they had done so, a waiter brought through jugs of orange juice and water to cool them down.

'Mr Chate, welcome,' De Sande said, pouring his visitors'

drinks He turned to Polly. 'Welcome to you too. Polly, isn't it?

Yeah, I'd never forget a pretty girl like you.'

The man was quite a charmer, and his eyes glowed with a fire that made Polly feel appreciated. 'Thank you,' she said, taking a glass of water from him. She hoped she could keep her composure. They had business to discuss, after all.

You're someone special, Polly. Don't forget that.

Polly gasped.

'Relax,' De Sande said out loud. 'One of the benefits of bonding with the creatures is that they give us the ability to pick up on the feelings of others and communicate through pure emotion.'

'You'll soon get used to them,' Chate told Polly. 'You're already much happier than you were.'

Polly nodded. 'Of course. So how are we going to let everyone else in on the act?'

'Intriguing,' said De Sande, a wicked glint flashing in his glowing eyes. 'You're concerned about your friends. You haven't seen them for two days and you want them to feel the peace the Selyoids are giving you.'

Polly felt uncomfortable at the ease with which De Sande had plucked the thoughts from her head. 'How did you know?'

Relax. I won't read your mind. I just can't help picking up on strong emotions. Your mind is feeding the Selyoids and they need to communicate. emotions. Your mind is feeding the Selyoids and they need to communicate.

De Sande in his own words. In her mind. Polly felt incredibly happy as she realised what this new skill meant for the world. Through the creatures, De Sande could communicate directly with her and with her emotions all people sharing with the Selyoids could. A wave of calm could sweep through everyone until all unhappiness disappeared.

'You have nothing to worry about as far as your friends are concerned,' De Sande said. 'It seems they aren't quite ready to join with us yet, but I've already shown them some of the marvels the Selyoids bring to our lives.'

'But they will join the sharing?'

De Sande nodded vigorously. 'Oh yes, almost everyone will.

Once Dying in the Sun Dying in the Sun is revealed to the public we'll have our work cut out trying to satisfy all the people who decide to follow our way.' is revealed to the public we'll have our work cut out trying to satisfy all the people who decide to follow our way.'

Concern. Dying in the Sun. Dying in the Sun. The Doctor's fears. What's happened to The Doctor's fears. What's happened to the Doctor? Thinking back to watching the film. Joy. Happiness. Torment. the Doctor? Thinking back to watching the film. Joy. Happiness. Torment.

Catharsis.

'Polly?' De Sande said inquisitively. 'What's going on? Your mind's racing, I can hardly hear anything else.'

'You must learn to calm your thoughts,' Chate said. 'If you don't relax everyone in the room will hear what you're thinking.'

'I'm sorry,' Polly said. 'I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do.'

De Sande lifted his palms towards her and half-closed his eyes. Polly could almost see the healing energies he was concentrating on her.

'Just draw on the Selyoids within you,' he said calmly. 'Trust them to regulate your thoughts and trust that they'll took after you. They'll keep your secrets. They love you.'

Polly closed her eyes, felt the warm presence of the Selyoids in her bloodstream and found she was on another world.

The light was dying. Across the planet, darkness was closing in. Polly saw a giant column of light swirling around in the rainbow-coloured sky. saw a giant column of light swirling around in the rainbow-coloured sky.

The light swept down to the ground and reached out, touching her mind. It was a living being, a being made of light yet with form and shape. Fire, was a living being, a being made of light yet with form and shape. Fire, heat, energy. As it shimmered through her mind, Pol y felt it singing to her. heat, energy. As it shimmered through her mind, Pol y felt it singing to her.

The creatures that made up the light cal ed themselves the Children, and they just wanted to expose others to the beauty of their creativity. They they just wanted to expose others to the beauty of their creativity. They described to Pol y the epic tales and histories their civilisation had created. described to Pol y the epic tales and histories their civilisation had created.

She saw the magnificent cathedrals, tombs and pictures made from photons and sunlight. She looked around and saw more of the creatures. One by one and sunlight. She looked around and saw more of the creatures. One by one they were ceasing their dancing as the storm clouds above started to release they were ceasing their dancing as the storm clouds above started to release the rain down on to their world. They were panicking. Polly could sense their the rain down on to their world. They were panicking. Polly could sense their fear. They were a civilisation of artists, of dreamers, of living stars. Each fear. They were a civilisation of artists, of dreamers, of living stars. Each and every being on this planet burned brightly, a fire creature more beautiful and every being on this planet burned brightly, a fire creature more beautiful than anything she had ever seen on Earth. than anything she had ever seen on Earth.

As the rain fell Polly felt their fear. They knew their time was at an end, they knew the future looked bleak, but they pinned all hope on the end, they knew the future looked bleak, but they pinned all hope on the scientists. The outcasts who had begun to see life as more than an excuse for scientists. The outcasts who had begun to see life as more than an excuse for creativity. Those who had worked at breaking the Children down into a creativity. Those who had worked at breaking the Children down into a corporeal form, a primordial soup capable of giving them existence in a corporeal form, a primordial soup capable of giving them existence in a world that defied every law of physics they had ever known. A world far world that defied every law of physics they had ever known. A world far away that, according to information that had been gathered would be equally away that, according to information that had been gathered would be equally receptive to the Children's artistic visions. It was a chance to survive, a receptive to the Children's artistic visions. It was a chance to survive, a chance to leave a legacy. chance to leave a legacy.

Polly found herself flying lifted up into the sky by the other creatures.

They were on their way now, they could feel each other breaking down, their physical nature changing, preparing them for the long journey away from physical nature changing, preparing them for the long journey away from home. They soon reached a lonely rock in space, a rock on a course for the home. They soon reached a lonely rock in space, a rock on a course for the hope planet. And as they settled in, as they fell to sleep, they watched the hope planet. And as they settled in, as they fell to sleep, they watched the darkness completely envelop their planet; and the tears they cried, knowing darkness completely envelop their planet; and the tears they cried, knowing that most of their people would be dead by now, flowed for many years. that most of their people would be dead by now, flowed for many years.

Polly opened her eyes and smiled as the vision ended. She was back in De Sande's office, but now she knew more than ever before that she was doing the right thing. She felt the Selyoids inside her continuing to ease her tension. They told her to relax, told her that she was a part of something great. Told her that she was a star, that she was perfect. They were making things better.

She smiled. 'Thank you,' was all she could think to say. She looked up at the hooded figure behind De Sande. 'Mr De Sande, if I may ask, who is that?'

De Sande smiled. 'This is one of my associates, one of the creatures' representatives. The representatives stay close to me at all times, guarding me, making sure I have support if I encounter anyone who threatens our peace plan.'

He turned to Chate. 'So, Robert,' he said, as he poured himself another glass of orange juice. 'How are you finding things in our little group?'

It was Chate's turn to laugh. 'How do you think?' he said.

'It's amazing. I've never felt so good.'

'You know, we were worried about you for a while,' De Sande said. Polly didn't fail to notice the threatening undercurrent in his voice. 'We heard you'd died.'

Chate shrugged. 'I had. But I'm back now.'

De Sande chuckled politely. 'So I see. Back where we can keep an eye on you.'

Chate looked confused. 'I... I don't understand.'

'We know what happened to your former employer, Mr Chate.'

Chate tried to look calm but the look in his eyes betrayed a terrified panic. 'How... How do you know Revere?'

'Relax,' De Sande said. 'You're part of our group now. Our plan is still on course for success despite that little mistake.

You've been absolved.'

'Thank you,' Chate said, though Polly could tell from the confused expression on his face that he wasn't quite sure why he had said this.

'It's nothing,' De Sande said. 'All we ask is that you remain loyal, that you let the Selyoids into your soul, that you try to understand the good we're doing here.'

'I understand,' Chate said. 'Don't worry.'

De Sande smiled. 'Good. I'm glad we've cleared that up.'

There was a knock on the door and De Sande excused himself. He opened the door to the butler, who whispered a short message in his ear.

Turning to face his guests, De Sande began to wring his hands. 'I'm terribly sorry, folks,' he said, 'but I've been called away to an urgent meeting. We'll continue our little chat later, but if you'd like to follow my butler he'll fix you up some rooms in the guest suite while you're staying.'

'Thank you,' Maria said. 'That's most kind of you.'

There was a twinkle in De Sande's eyes. 'It's my pleasure.

After all, you are a star.'

Chapter Twenty-One.

The noise. The lights. The flashes. The shouts. Everywhere Ben looked there was chaos. Fans leant over barricades, stretching out in the vague hope of touching the stars, and packs of photographers snapped hungrily at everyone who walked along the long red carpet leading to the entrance of the Chinese Theater, the venue that tonight was playing host to the grand premiere of Dying in the Sun Dying in the Sun.

The Doctor marched along the carpet, smiling at the crowds, totally in his element. Ben and Fletcher moped slowly behind him, both less than relaxed about the attention they were receiving.

The Doctor seemed to sense Ben's bemusement and flashed him a knowing look. 'Just smile for the cameras,' he muttered under his breath. 'You never know, we might be in the papers tomorrow.'

'Wallis will love it if I'm I'm in the papers,' Fletcher said dryly. in the papers,' Fletcher said dryly.

Ben straightened his bow tie there had been little time to get the fitting right when he had hired it and marched into the cinema, trying his best to ignore the screaming crowds. He still felt uneasy about attending the event. The Doctor was insistent that they go, sure he'd learn something vital to his investigation, but Ben would rather have spent the time looking for Polly. He hoped she'd get in touch tomorrow.

The atmosphere inside the cinema was a little more relaxed.

The lobby was decorated with artificial palm trees and jungle paraphernalia, and various props from the film were displayed around its edges.

Turning a corner, they reached a reception area away from the prying eyes of the general public where a large cluster of celebrities was gathered, making small talk and eating delicately prepared food from oversized plates.

Fletcher looked around and whistled. 'There sure are a lot of stars out tonight,' he said.

'Yeah,' Ben agreed, 'and we might as well make the most of it. It's not often you get to go to a big Hollywood premiere.'

Fletcher smiled. 'Indeed.' He looked across the room. 'Is that Gregory Peck I see over there? I've got got to talk to him!' to talk to him!'

He darted off into the crowd, leaving the Doctor and Ben alone.

'Chips and dips?' a waitress asked, offering them some snacks. Ben politely helped himself but the Doctor wasn't interested.