Doctor Who_ Empire of Death - BBC Worldwide [77]
`We need to shore up the dam. I want four two-man teams cutting down trees. Choose the ones nearest the edge so we can rol them down into the gorge. The rest of you, start gathering rocks and stones to build up the top of the dam. Nothing smaller than your head. Everybody understand what you have to do?
Good. Then move!'
The afternoon hours had hung heavy, punctuated by the rantings of Doulton at his men and further, occasional explosions from upstream. The general was becoming increasingly frustrated by delays in preparing the diving bell for use, screaming abuse at the men attaching guide ropes and linking air hoses from the bellows box. Vollmer had been careful to keep out of Doulton's way, not wishing to catch another torrent of abuse from the sharp edge of the general's tongue.
Instead he took over responsibility for guarding the Doctor and Nyssa, sending Johnson and Hawthorne to the water's edge in his place.
The prisoners were sat back to back in front of their blue box, wrists and ankles manacled together, chains linking the metal restraints. Despite being under suspicion for several mysterious deaths, the duo appeared unconcerned by their situation. 'It's Doulton you should be guarding, Sergeant, not us,' the Doctor said. 'He's becoming increasingly irrational, refusing to listen to reason. He's a danger to himself but worse than that, he's a danger to everyone else around him'
`The general is one of the finest officers I have ever had the privilege to serve under,' Vollmer replied, not wishing to get drawn into this conversation.
`He may well have been - in the past. But not any more'
`Listen to him,' Nyssa said. Doulton's latest tirade drifted up to the encampment. 'Is he normally like that?'
`He seemed quite a pleasant fellow at Windsor,' the Doctor added. 'But since we arrived here... There's a medical condition called decompression sickness, also known as the bends. It's been identified among workers who spend long hours doing construction work under water inside caissons like that diving bell'
`Laying foundations for bridges?'
Èxactly. It's a disorder of the body, characterised by severe pain, cramp and difficulty in breathing. It can also unbalance the mind, changing the way a person acts and impairing their judgement' The Doctor peered at Vollmer. `Have you seen the general exhibit any of those symptoms?'
No, I don't think so'
`But he has been acting out of character lately - would you agree with that?'
`Perhaps'
`How long before he goes too far?' Nyssa asked. 'How long before somebody has to relieve him of his command?'
`You're talking about mutiny!' The sergeant shook his head. 'I know what you're trying to do. You want to dupe me, use me to protect you from the general. Well, it won't work. General Doulton is a good man. Perhaps he doesn't always make the right decisions, but who does? I won't become a party to your plotting and schemes!' Vollmer walked away from the prisoners, taking himself far enough away so he could still see them but did not to have to listen to their sedition. The sergeant was still keeping watch over the pair when Clark and the others returned from their work upriver.
`How did it go?'Vollmer asked.
`Not bad. The temporary dam should hold back the river for three or four days. After that the water will either flood over the top or the pressure will break the dam. When it does I wouldn't want to be in its way.' The lance corporal paused, his attention caught by a shouting voice in the distance. 'Who is that screaming?'
`Doulton. He can't get the diving bell working properly. You'd better get down there, he'll need at least another dozen men to lift that thing into the water.' Clark gave Vollmer a friendly salute before leading his men down the hillside to the pontoon.
It was almost dusk when the diving bell was put into the water.
Doulton began stripping off