“The Ghost of Nero” is episode nineteen of season one of The Time Tunnel.
At the end of the previous episode, “Visitors from Beyond the Stars”, Doug and Tony had appeared in the Alps during World War I. They sought shelter in a cellar from artillery fire when a shell hit, knocking them both out. A hole was opened in the wall, behind which was a sarcophagus with the word ‘NERO’ carved on it. The lid of the sarcophagus opened and a sword floated out.
The sword prods Tony, then Doug, before heading back to the sarcophagus. They come too and hear the sword drop back inside, following the sound to the sarcophagus. They are about to leave when German soldiers arrive outside. Tik-Toc are watching, but are struggling with a fix. Ray says it’s as if there’s another lifeform present. Ann can only get the date as some time in 1915.
Doug and Tony are hiding when a soldier enters. The soldier finds the sarcophagus, then collapses, dead, with the sword stuck in him. When another soldier enters, Doug and Tony flee. The major commanding the soldiers order that they search for the killer. Then Doug and Tony fall through a secret opening. Inside, Tony lights a candle and Doug says the catacombs must be centuries old.
The German soldiers are looking for the killer and Doug and Tony are looking for another way out. They follow some stairs up, which lead to a secret door in a room in the house above. The Germans are inside and they lock the room’s door. Then an old man with a revolver confronts them and accuses them of being looters. They explain the Germans and that they are hiding. The man wonders why; America is neutral, after all. The Germans knock at the door and To9ny takes the man’s gun. They can’t find out how to open the secret door again. The man demands to know their names, and says he can save them if they give him the gun and let him do the talking. His name is Count Enrico Galba.
The count lets the soldiers in. He claims that he had to lock himself and his guests in the room because of looters. He gives the major the gun; they don’t need it any more. He convinces the major, referring to orders of the Kaiser, that they should not be killed. They can remain as guests until the Italian army drives them out. The major considers all three his prisoners, and orders that they be locked in the room.
With the Germans gone, Galba tells Doug and Tony they are in serious danger. The major is from the signal corps; they must be using the villa as a spotter post for the artillery. When the Italians realise, they will shell the villa. Doug and Tony suggest the secret passage. Tony finds the latch and goes to check the cellar.
The major plans to kill all three when their mission is over. Tik-Toc is having problems with interference. Ann has discovered that the villa was destroyed by artillery, on October 23rd 1915. You can guess what date Doug and Tony are at.
Doug mentions Nero to Galba; the count says that’s an old wives’ tale. Doug tells him they found the crypt blasted open by artillery. Apparently, Nero swore to come back and have revenge whilst he was dying. The door starts rattling, but it isn’t the Germans trying it, for the major sends a sergeant to check. When the sergeant arrives outside, he is hit by a wind, then his demeanour changes.
The sergeant enters the room and asks if the count is a descendant of Emperor Galba. He is. The sergeant tells the count that his ancestor declared him a public enemy, and he fled Rome. Now, Galba will feel the revenge of Emperor Nero. The self-proclaimed Nero tries to throttle Galba. Doug interferes, helped by Tony when Tony returns. They knock the sergeant down just as the major arrives. The major, of course, doesn’t believe that the sergeant was trying to kill them. However, the sergeant comes around and threatens to kill them all.
The count is concerned that the ghost of Emperor Nero really has returned. Tik-Toc, who have rather more to do in this episode than many recent ones, decide to get an expert on psychic phenomena to help.