The Tivolian Who Knew Too Much (audio story)

The Tivolian Who Knew Too Much was the second story in the audio anthology The Stuff of Nightmares, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Robert Valentine and featured Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor and Louise Jameson as Leela.

Publisher's summary
Taking an Italian holiday, the Fourth Doctor and Leela encounter another tourist very far from home. Timble Feebis is a particularly timid Tivolian, but he has much to be fearful about!

Guarding a vital data-chip, the three visitors are soon caught up in the machinations of a crime boss and his gang, and a dangerous alien assassin...

Plot
Timble Feebis is holidaying in Rome when another Tivolian, White Lightning, runs up to him and hands him a data chip before dying. Timble flees from human thugs and runs past the Trevi Fountain, attracting the attention of the Doctor and Leela, before being captured. The Doctor and Leela follow and rescue Timble, but Leela is kidnapped as Inspector Giallo fires at the car.

The Doctor and Timble chase the kidnapper on a scooter, but lose him and speak with Giallo, who tells them that Leela has been taken by Carmine Sanguinetti, based at the Villa d'Alfredo in Tivoli. Giallo leaves and the Doctor notices that the ink on her card is barely dry, arousing his suspicions. He and Timble go to the villa by taxi and, entering using the sonic screwdriver, save Leela from being tortured by Mr Quave. The Doctor, however, is captured and the data chip taken.

Sanguinetti reveals that he is Volen Steasel, a Tivolian criminal mastermind, and tells the Doctor that he intends on taking the data chip to Tivoli so that his people might release the Krevellons from their containment shield and surrender their world to them. Leela and Timble encounter Giallo, who admits that she is Letícia Yellow of Galactipol on Steasel's trail, and the three of them save the Doctor. Steasel and Mr Quave manage to escape before they can be arrested and fly by helicopter towards Rome, followed by the Doctor, Leela, Timble and Yellow. During the chase, Timble calls his therapist, Dr Kleeb.

The group go to the colosseum and Timble tells the envoy who has come for the data chip, Gilbar, that the Krevellons intend on devouring Tivoli and a shootout begins. The Doctor saves Yellow from Steasel by pretending that his screwdriver is a weapon, but Timble accidentally gives the ruse away and, after a struggle, Mr Quave falls to his death. Steasel is arrested and Gilbar asks the Doctor to invite the Time Lords to enslave Tivoli should they wish. The Doctor and Leela leave in the TARDIS.

Timble dispenses with the services of Dr Kleeb and is asked by Gilbar to join Section X as the new White Lightning, a Tivolian secret agent on Earth. He accepts her offer.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * Timble Feebis / First Thug - Robert Daws
 * Volen Steasel / Second Thug - Anthony Howell
 * Mr Quave / White Lightning - Damian Lynch
 * Letícia Giallo - Emily Casey
 * Dr Kleeb / Krevellon General / Envoy Gilbar - Imogen Church

Worldbuilding

 * The Trevi Fountain is a water feature. According to legend, should one through a coin in with their right hand and over their left shoulder, they will one day return to Rome. If one throws in two, they will find love. If one throws in three, they will return, find love and marry.
 * The Doctor does not believe in luck.
 * The Doctor and Timble go down the Spanish Steps, also known as Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti.
 * Leela is likened to a gladiatrix.
 * Mr Quave says that Leela's shackles have been there since the Borgias. Leela does not know who they are.
 * The Vorgel Scourge dominated the Tivolians before they were wiped out by a space plague.
 * Krevellonia has been put in a containment shield by its neighbouring planets.
 * Steasel says that he should have killed Yellow on Proxima.
 * The two thugs are called Luigi and Rocco.

Continuity

 * The Doctor mentions having fought the Daleks, (TV: Genesis of the Daleks, Destiny of the Daleks, etc.) the Cybermen (TV: Revenge of the Cybermen, etc.) and the Sontarans. (TV: The Sontaran Experiment, etc.)