// Draw stars on top of everything else.
   if( mRenderStars )
   {
      // define mDots
      GFXVertexBufferHandle<GFXVertexPC> mDots;

      // create point-dots
      if( mDots.isNull() )
      {
         mDots.set(GFX, mNumStars, GFXBufferTypeStatic);

         U32 ndot = 0;
         mDots.lock();
         for(U32 i = 0; i < mNumStars; i++)
         {
           U32 myAlpha = (256 * mStarColors[i][3]) -1;
           mDots[i].color.set( 255, 255,255, myAlpha  );
           mDots[i].point.x = mStarPoints[i][0];
           mDots[i].point.y = mStarPoints[i][1];
           mDots[i].point.z = mStarPoints[i][2];
         }
         mDots.unlock();
      }

      GFXStateBlockDesc dotdesc;
      dotdesc.setBlend(true, GFXBlendSrcAlpha, GFXBlendInvSrcAlpha);
      dotdesc.setCullMode( GFXCullNone );
      GFXStateBlockRef mDotSB = GFX->createStateBlock( dotdesc );

      GFX->setStateBlock(mDotSB);

      // draw the points.
      GFX->setVertexBuffer( mDots );
      GFX->drawPrimitive( GFXPointList, 0, mNumStars );
   }
   // <<< STARS