The Galileo Trap (audio story)

 was the third story in the audio anthology Doom Coalition 1, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Marc Platt and featured Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, Nicola Walker as Liv Chenka and Hattie Morahan as Helen Sinclair.

Publisher's summary
Helen Sinclair doesn't know what hit her. One moment she was trapped in a dead-end job in 1960s London, and now she is transported back to Renaissance Italy over three centuries before. Florence is a city in turmoil. A new plague stalks the streets. A ferocious behemoth rampages through the vineyards. And Galileo Galilei, celebrated scientist, astronomer and old friend of the Doctor, is imprisoned in his own villa for heresy.

But why has Galileo summoned the Doctor? Who are the mysterious Fortuna and Cleaver? Why have they been sent to Earth? And what is Galileo's secret? Is it the last thing he saw before he went blind?

Plot
A young man flees from something to a hospital where a monk closes the doors, being at full capacity due to the plague. The man runs elsewhere but is caught and screams.

Count Licori asks Captain Cavalli about Massimo da Riva, who reportedly deals in strange creatures. Liv and Helen wander Florence and are almost run over by Count Licori before the Doctor returns to them, having had no luck finding Galileo.

Count Licori and Captain Cavalli hunt a bloodhog, supplied by da Riva. Captain Cavalli seems suspicious of the merchant and, once he has gone, says that the hunt is up.

The Doctor has learnt from the prison that Galileo is living under house arrest in Arcetri some leagues from Florence. Liv comes across a boy with wounds not unlike those one might receive from a boar attack and gives him some antiseptic whilst the Doctor gives his mother some peaches.

The hunt continues and Count Licori is injured by the bloodhog.

Helen reads a man's tombstone, excited by her ability to read Latin, and meets da Riva, who takes notice of her watch and asks to know where she is really from. He leaves as the Doctor and Liv arrive and remind Helen that they are looking for Galileo.

Galileo is fed by his daughter, Virginia, and tells her to read his own Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations to him. He thought that he heard an animal in the night.

The Doctor, Liv and Helen walk to Arcetri and meet Captain Cavalli, who tells them of Count Licori's death and mentions his knowledge of snapshots. The trio arrive at the home of Galileo, who remembers the Doctor in an older incarnation and tells him that his message was made under duress and was a warning to keep him away from 1639.

Captain Cavalli enters da Riva's house and confronts him about feeding on humans and unleashing a bloodhog. Da Riva reveals himself to be Volkbrood and unleashes his pet morgrahound Heracles upon him. Captain Cavalli is mauled to death.

Helen asks Liv if joining the Doctor was the right idea and Liv responds by telling her that it is simply culture shock. They hear an unearthly animal in the distance and Virginia lets them in whilst the Doctor is talking to Galileo, who changes the subject once Virginia returns.

To be completed.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Paul McGann
 * Liv Chenka - Nicola Walker
 * Helen Sinclair - Hattie Morahan
 * Galileo Galilei - John Woodvine
 * Virginia - Esther Hall
 * Cavalli - Gunnar Cauthery
 * Count Licori - Ewan Bailey
 * Cleaver - Harry Myers
 * The Eleven - Mark Bonnar
 * Beggar Woman - Lizzie Mounter
 * Monk / Youth - John Banks

Continuity

 * Helen is shocked to have travelled 300 years in the past. (AUDIO: The Red Lady)
 * Virginia taught the Doctor to play the recorder when she was only around 10 years old. (TV: The Power of the Daleks, etc.)
 * The Doctor previously met Galileo in his first incarnation. (PROSE: The Empire of Glass)