The finger of lavender light knifed toward the machine, searching for its heart and memory unit.
The ray fused and melted and burned, cutting deeper and deeper into the maze of wires and tubes and relays. There was a blinding flash and one section of the machine ground to a stop. Other sections immediately increased their tempo of movement.
Behind me the door slammed open, and Senator Chambers and two guards stumbled into the building.
Chambers yelled, "He's over there in front of the Master Machine. Hurry up ... and ... shoot! Before it's ... too late! Shoot!"
His face almost a cherry red, Chambers danced out of the way. The guards raised their weapons and sighted.
Then the ray from my cane cut deeply into the very innermost section of the master unit and the machine died. A dial on the front of the blackened, twisted mess spun slowly to a stop. There was no more noise and no more movement.
It was done.
As I released the stud on the cane, the weapons of the guards were pointed directly at my back. Chambers' eyes were like two black marbles, staring at me, his head strained forward to watch the results of the missiles.
I took a careful step to the left. And another. And then another. They didn't move.