The Dragons of Prague (short story)

The Dragons of Prague was the twentieth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Destination Prague. It was written by Todd McCaffrey. It featured the Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.

Summary
The Doctor is called to Earth to answer an old challenge. He explains to Sarah and Harry that, long ago, he fought with a Drak named Drakos for control of the Earth. Drakos won the first challenge of three (a game of chess), and they are to meet in Prague for the second challenge.

When they arrive on Earth, a teenage boy named Bojan Novak arrives with an invitation to his master's restaurant for a culinary challenge. Drakos, who on Earth is in human form using the name Ctislav Drak, will go first. The Doctor accepts.

The Doctor sends his friends to an internet café to research Drak, cuisine, and anything else going on in the city. They report pollution in the Vltava River and human bodies killed by flesh-eating slugs. This gives the Doctor an idea, and he sends Harry on a special project.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Sarah dine at Drakos' restaurant, and the food is amazing. Drakos assumes he will win, but the Doctor is confident.

The Doctor has Sarah, who is still mystified by the Doctor and Harry's plan, shop for garlic, olive oil and paprika. When Drakos is due to arrive at the TARDIS, they set out salt at its entrance. When Drakos enters the TARDIS, he is followed by three large slugs, on whom Sarah throws the three ingredients. Drakos eats them all and concedes the challenge to the Doctor.

The Doctor offers Drakos a new deal: Drakos will be allowed to stay in human form on Earth for another ten thousand years, as long as he keeps Prague clean of the flesh-eating slugs. Drakos happily agrees.

Characters

 * Fourth Doctor
 * Sarah Jane Smith
 * Harry Sullivan
 * Bojan Novak
 * Drakos

Worldbuilding

 * Harry worries that since they are in Czechoslovakia, the communists will want to capture him.
 * The Doctor informs Harry that they are in the Czech Republic, which is part of the European Union.
 * The Doctor tells his companions about the destruction of the Berlin Wall.
 * Harry doesn't believe the Doctor when he states that the dinosaurs were sentient.
 * Sarah is confused when the Doctor mentions laptop computers.
 * Drakos' restaurant is called The Dragon and the George. The Doctor and Sarah have the restaurant's venison roll.
 * The Doctor mentions the Ixx and the Aztecs.

Continuity

 * The Doctor refers to the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. (AUDIO: Protect and Survive; COMIC: The Broken Man)

The Dragons of Prague (povídka)