Suspension and Disbelief (short story)

Suspension and Disbelief was the thirteenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Destination Prague. It was written by Mary Robinette. It featured the Fifth Doctor.

Summary
In Prague, the Doctor meets Kája, a puppeteer whose fiancé, Dusan, is due to be executed by defenestration because he cut down a tree to make a puppet. Kája throws a life-size marionette off a bridge to get herself used to the idea of seeing him die. The Doctor, however, has an idea.

Kája dresses the marionette up to look like Dusan, while the Doctor uses the sonic screwdriver to set up a sympathetic vibration between the marionette and a small puppet. He takes the TARDIS to where Dusan is being held and switches the marionette for Dusan.

The marionette, controlled by the Doctor to seem life-like, is duly thrown out of a window the next day, while the Doctor, Kája and a disguised Dusan watch. Kája and Dusan will leave Prague.

Characters

 * Fifth Doctor
 * Kája
 * Dusan

Worldbuilding

 * Prague landmarks include Kampa Island, Charles Bridge, the Vltava River, the Church of St Ignác and the New Town Hall.
 * The Doctor is reminded of Adric.
 * Kája thinks the Doctor is appearing in The Importance of Being Ernest.
 * The Doctor mentions the Oil Wars.

Continuity
to be added