tronic, not atomic, as they are in you, nor molecular as
in man. The capacity of mine are unlimited. Already they hold all
memories of all the things each of you has done, known and seen. I shall
make others of my type."

Again that weird process began, but now there were no flashing
tentacles. There was only the weird glow of forces that played with, and
laughed at matter, and its futilely resisting electrons. Lurid flares of
energy shot up, now and again they played over the fighting, mingling,
dancing forces. Then suddenly the whine of transmuted air died, and
again the forces strained.

A small cylinder, smaller even than its creator, floated where the
forces had danced.

"The problem has been solved, F-2?" asked Roal.

"It is done, Roal. The Ultimate Energy is at our disposal," replied F-2.
"This, I have made, is not a scientist. It is a coordinator machine--a
ruler."

"F-2, only a part of the problem is solved. Half of half of the beams of
Death are not yet stopped. And we have the attack system," said the
ruler machine. Force played from it, and on its sides appeared C-R-U-1
in dully glowing golden light.

"Some life-form, and we shall see," said F-2.

Minutes later a life-form investigator came with a small cage, which
held a guinea pig. Forces played about the base of F-2, and moments
later, came a pale-green beam therefrom. It passed through the guinea
pig, and the little animal fell dead.

"At least, we have the beam. I can see no screen for this beam. I
believe there is none. Let machines be made and attack that enemy
life-form."

Machines can do things much more quickly, and with fuller cooperation
than man ever could. In a matter of hours, under the direction of
C-R-U-1, they had built a great automatic machine on the clear bare
surface of the rock. In hours more, thousands of the tiny,
material-energy driven machines were floating up and out.

* * *

Dawn was breaking again over Denver where this work had been done, when
the main force of the enemy drew near Earth. It was a warm welcome they
were to get, for nearly ten thousand of the tiny ships flew up and out
from Earth to meet them, each a living thing unto itself, each willing
and ready to sacrifice itself for the whole.

Ten thousand giant ships, shining dully in the radiance of a far-off
blue-white sun, met ten thousand tiny, darting motes, ten thousand tiny
machine-ships capable of maneuvering far more rapidly tha