Skin Deep (audio story)

 was the second audio story in the anthology Lady Christina: Series One.

Publisher's summary
Sylvia Noble always knew she deserved better. So, when a chance encounter with aristocracy propels her out of Chiswick and into high society, she's delighted.

But the beautiful people have their own agenda – and Christina is surprised when those plans involve her father.

Plot
Lady Christina befriends Sylvia Noble at a hair salon in Notting Hill and invites her to a party filled with aristocratic guests. Sylvia, who has long-held ambitions to mix within high society, is delighted to attend and intrigued by the Amber face treatment promoted by two of Christina’s long-lost friends, Tamarind and Malia. Amber is hailed as a revolutionary skincare treatment that makes people look younger and more beautiful, evidenced by the appearances of most of the guests at the party. However, despite being impressed by Amber’s benefits, Sylvia is left stunned when a party guest suddenly commits suicide after shouting about how they ‘do not deserve’ to be treated with Amber when they are so ‘ugly’.

Christina uses her newfound friendship with Sylvia to visit her at home and carry out a search of the property under the guise of a ‘tour’, perplexing Sylvia as to why Christina would want to see every room in her house. Christina also uses the opportunity to invite Sylvia to another party out in the country and Sylvia accepts. The two arrive to be met by Tamarind and Malia, although Christina soon departs to confront her estranged father, Lord Alfred de Souza, after spotting him amongst the guests. Tamarind and Malia get Sylvia to take a dose of Amber and it immediately has an effect on making Sylvia look younger. Meanwhile, Christina confronts Alfred and the two argue about their respective crimes in the name of financial security for themselves and the de Souza family. Christina doesn’t reveal to Alfred that her true reason for attending the party is to crack the safe of the absent owner of the mansion.

After Sylvia returns to the party, Tamarind and Malia insult Sylvia’s age and social ambitions to her face, prompting Sylvia to storm off. They later confront Sylvia in the bathroom and reveal themselves as The Amber, a beetle like species that feed off humans whilst using the Amber treatment as a shell to cover up their damage to their human body. Sylvia strikes Tamarind with a weapon in self-defence, shattering Tamarind’s face and revealing the mass of Amber beetles inside her. Christina rescues Sylvia and the two escape.

After failing to convert Sylvia, the Amber advance their plan by revealing their beetle forms to the party guests and attacking them. Many guests are caught in the chaos, fed upon by the beetles and enveloped into cocoons. Alfred seals himself away with Benji, a party guest, but promptly throws Benji out of their hiding spot when he discovers that he has a beetle on his body, causing Benji to be taken by the Amber. Christina finds Alfred to rescue him but they argue about their damaged relationship instead. Alfred decides to send Christina away and confronts the Amber, though instead offering to help facilitate a covert Amber invasion of the Earth rather than truly defy them. His attempts fail however and he is swarmed by the beetles.

Sylvia and Christina reunite, where upon Christina reveals her true reason for attending the party to Sylvia and resumes trying to open the safe. Christina succeeds and discovers an alien telepathic amplification device stored in the safe. Back downstairs, the Amber leader possesses Alfred and marshals the newly converted party guests to track down Sylvia and Christina. Sylvia struggles with the Amber poisoning still in her form, leading Christina to wonder why she has been able to resist Amber’s effects so far. Sylvia reveals that she is wearing an alien ring from Donna Noble that gives her waves of healing energy, which is the object that Christina sought out at Sylvia’s homes.

The Amber leader as Alfred confronts Sylvia and Christina. The two distract the leader and use the telepathic amplification device, combined with Christina’s safe-cracking laser, as a weapon to repel the Amber. Sylvia however objects to using the device to kill the possessed guests and instead takes off her ring for Christina to use for amplification instead, despite the risk to her own health. Christina uses the device to amplify the healing waves of the ring and it succeeds in reversing the corrosive effect of the Amber’s poison and conversion upon the guests.

In the aftermath, Sam Bishop and UNIT arrive to clean-up the situation. Sam reveals that some guests were too far gone to save but that the vast majority are now healthy. Sylvia tries to find Christina to say goodbye but cannot find her, instead finding that Christina has left with her ring, the contents of the safe and valuables from the party guests. Instead, Sylvia confronts Alfred and warns him to mend his relationship with Christina in future.

Cast

 * Lady Christina - Michelle Ryan
 * Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King
 * Sam Bishop - Warren Brown
 * Lord Alfred de Souza - William Gaminara
 * Tamarind/The Amber - Suzy Bloom
 * Malia - Rebecca Yeo
 * Waiter - Ewan Bailey
 * Benji - Gareth Corke
 * Banker - Matthew Brenher

Continuity

 * While looking through Sylvia's house, Christina finds an old ATMOS device. (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky)
 * Sylvia refers to the Adipose crisis. (TV: Partners in Crime)