Amidst the search for a peaceful resolution, Jax and his friends find themselves facing an imminent war as the witches gear up for battle against the formidable Scourge, threatening to drain all magic from both realms.

"The humans are fighting again. Go figure. As a free A.I., Mal finds the war between the modded and augmented Federals and the puritanical Humanists about as interesting as a battle between rival anthills. He's not above scouting the battlefield for salvage, though, and when the Humanists abruptly cut off access to infospace he finds himself trapped in the body of a cyborg mercenary, and responsible for the safety of the modded girl she died protecting....