The Vampires of Venice (TV story): Difference between revisions

[[2010|430 years later]] in a [[Leadworth]] [[pub]], [[Rory Williams]] [[Telephone|phones]] [[Amy Pond]] from his stag party. He leaves a message on her answering machine, telling her how much he loves her and that, if they weren't getting [[married]] the next day, he'd propose. One of his guests directs his attention to a [[cake]] being wheeled in, making Rory quickly end his call in embarrassment. Everyone chants for the stripper to come out of the cake. To their shock, though, it's the [[Eleventh Doctor]] who pops out instead.

The Doctor examines the room and to his relief, Rory is there; he missed getting to Rory's stag at least twice with this method. He mentions that the stripper, [[Lucy (The Vampires of Venice)|Lucy]], is outside and that they should let her in and give her a jumper to cover up with; "lovely girl, [[Diabetes|diabetic]]." The Doctor tells Rory that they need to talk about Amy; she [[Flesh and Stone (TV story)|tried to kiss him]]. He adds, though, that Rory's a lucky man — she's a great [[kisser]]! The other guests gasp. The Doctor notices this: "Funny how you say something in your head and it ''sounds'' fine..."

The TARDIS materialises on the dock outside of Venice. The Doctor goes on to explain how Venice was founded by refugees running from [[Attila the Hun]]. So many people liked, such as [[Napoleon]], [[George Gordon Byron|Byron]] and [[Casanova]]. Catching himself saying this, the Doctor checks his watch; luckily, Casanova is not born for another 140 years. The Doctor does not want to run into him because he owes Casanova a chicken due to losing a bet.

When they try to enter, they are stopped at the gate and asked to present their papers; Venice has been quarantined at the suggestion of the city's patron, Rosanna Calvierri, to protect the citizens from the [[Black Death|plague]]. The Doctor is immediately suspicious; the plague died out years ago. They present the [[psychic paper]], and are admitted to the city, where they see Guido interrupt a procession of Calvierri school girls, demanding to know where Isabella is. He locates her in the procession, but she does not seem to recognise him and he is immediately warded off by another girl, who bares fangs at him. Amy asks the Doctor what he thinks of the situation, only to find that he's already gone: "I hate it when he does that".

At Amy's suggestion, Rory acts as her brother and uses the psychic paper to fake having references from the [[King]] of [[Sweden]]. After being admitted, Amy meets Isabella inside. Isabella tells her of the school: she is taken regularly in the middle of the night and strapped to some sort of chair, and a process then occurs that Isabella can never remember before morning. All she knows is that the [[sun]] now burns her skin. Amy promises to help her escape. That night, she sneaks down to the courtyard and unlocks the trap door, but is caught by the steward.

Meanwhile, Amy is forced into the dungeon cell that Isabella described earlier. Francesco and Rosanna Calvierri circle her. Rosanna tries to force her to reveal her true identity, as well as how she managed to obtain the psychic paper she and Rory used to bluff their way into the school, being immune to its effects. When Amy resists, Rosanna orders the process begun, drinking some of Amy's [[blood]]. As Amy barely hangs on to consciousness, Rosanna explains she and Francesco drink the girls dry and replace their blood with that of their own [[species]]. The girls either die or transform; if they transform, ten thousand husbands wait for them in the river. Amy apologises as she's already engaged and kicks Rosanna's hip, accidentally dislodging a [[perception filter]]. Rosanna's true alien form is revealed.

Later that day, Rosanna, Francesco, the converted girls and the staff take Isabella to a plank to be pushed into the water. [[Carlo (The Vampires of Venice)|Carlo]], Rosanna's head steward, reads a rite to Isabella, explaining her death is because of her betrayal of the Calvierris. Being pushed into the water, Isabella says she can swim like virtually all Venetians but soon finds some things are biting her — Rosanna's other sons. They pull her under as Rosanna dismisses everyone but Francesco. She tries to reach into the water, but Francesco warns her that his brothers do not know it is her in human form; she promises her other sons it will be soon.

Rosanna returns from the "ceremony" to find the Doctor waiting for her on her throne. He has [[deduce]]d she is from [[Saturnyne]], and is using a perception filter to appear [[human]]; she deduces he is an alien refugee and is shocked to learn he is from [[Gallifrey]], commenting that he should be in a museum. They question each other, Rosanna revealing her [[planet]] was consumed by the [[Time Field|cracks in time]]; she and her children had to flee from [[the Silence]]. Running brought them to [[Earth]]. Rosanna asks for the Doctor's help in rebuilding her race, but he only wants to know what happened to Isabella. Rosanna does not know who "Isabella" is until the Doctor tells her she was the girl who helped them escape the school; Rosanna remarks that all traitors must be [[kill]]ed. As the Doctor is removed by the steward, he furiously shouts that he will stop her, if only because she didn't know Isabella's name.

Rory notes he smells of fish as Francesco charges at him, changing back to normal. Pinned down by the monster, Rory waits for the end. Amy comes to his rescue in the nick of time, using her compact [[mirror]] to amplify the sunlight and direct it at Francesco, who is instantly vapourised. Amy kisses Rory; she tells her dazed fiancé that they're going to go help the Doctor. "Okay." he weakly mutters.

Rosanna goes to the river, distraught. She attempts to deactivate her perception filter, but it malfunctions and she retains her human form. The Doctor rushes up, pleading for her to stop; she orders the Doctor to remember her species, knowing he will have to live with the death of their race on his conscience. Before he can reach her, she throws herself into the river, where she is devoured by her sons who don't recognise her.

The trio departs Venice, with the Doctor gleefully remarking that their next trip will be to the Leadworth Registry Office, where he wonders if he can give Amy away at the wedding; however, when Amy continues to express some reluctance at marrying Rory, he sadly asks the Doctor to drop him off where they found him. Amy instead invites Rory to join them, to which the Doctor agrees. As they are about to leave in the TARDIS, a strange silence falls across the city. The Doctor remembers Rosanna's words as he examines the empty street.