Blake and some criminals attempt to seize control of the prison ship London as it passes a space war where an abandoned ship is found.

A ship whose crew had been put in suspended animation is picked up by the Liberator, while Blake attempts to destroy the Federation Communication base on Saurian Major.

The crew steals a Federation deciphering unit and accidently leave Cally behind. Travis finds her and decides to used her in a hostage trap for Blake.

The flight of Federation pursuit ships, commanded by Travis, finally succeed in trapping the Liberator.

Travis devises a plan to destroy Blake and capture the Liberator.

The crew land on the planet Lindor, where a deposed leader has been held in exile. Blake and Cally ask him to return to his people. Meanwhile, a ship in distress is helped by the Liberator, only to encounter a group of bounty hunters who seek to turn Blake and the Liberator over to the Federation.

The Liberator crew brings back the survivor of a ship that blew up while delivering some medical supplies to Ensor, the survivor's father. Jenna is captured on the planet, while the survivor of the destroyed ship forces Blake to leave the planet by holding Cally at gunpoint. On the planet, Avon is considered a god by a priestess leading her people there.

The crew encounter the System, builders and original owners of the Liberator (known to them as Deep Space Vehicle-2). They disable its defense systems in an attempt to try to get their craft back. A sister ship (DSV-1), in pursuit, is destroyed by Orac.

The Liberator reaches Space City where Blake seeks the assistance of the Terra Nostra, a criminal group who control the deadly drug Shadow. Blake must find out what the link with the Federation is, and why Orac is telepathically torturing Cally. The key appears to be the planet Zonda.