In the deserts of God-Does-Battle the Cities stand alone, as beleaguered as the aspirations of mankind. Those still alive are silent -- like stars in a dying universe they await dust and decay. Yet within the living plasm of their fragmented structures an ancient programme still works, implanted by the human creators cast out a thousand years ago. Before long, it is clear, some of the Cities will be fighting extinction. And many of them will do battle in a quite unexpected way . . .