Roj Blake meets up with a woman named Ravella, and after assuring her that he has been without food or drink for the last 36 hours is led to meet another man, Richie. Richie and Ravella convince Blake to go outside with them, despite this being a category 4 crime. Once outside they make their way to a meeting of a resistance group led by a man named Foster. Foster tells Blake that like himself, he was once with the resistance but that he was captured and basically 'reprogrammed' so that he would be an example to citizens of the Federation. Foster also informs Blake that the Viz tapes he gets from his family on the outer colonies are fakes. They were executed on arrival, just after Blake was first captured. Blake is stunned by the news and goes off to be by himself, he witnesses Federation troops approaching the area and watches helplessly as the resistance group, all of whom are unarmed, are mercilessly gunned down. Blake himself is captured a while later, while re-entering the city.

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

Blake tries to rescue the remaining prisoners from the prison planet Cygnus Alpha only to find they have a disease that can be cured by the power mad high priest Vargas

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 Liberator runs into a web created by psionic means; the crew meets the race of genetically-engineered Decimas. Blake learns of the attempt at genocide being waged against the Decimas by the creator of the Web.

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 crew find a ship flying in a circle they investigate and find the crew asleep and the control smashed. Someone has destroyed the controls and is killing the crew one by one trying to get their hands on the priceless neutrotope.

The Liberator, low on power is lured into a trap by Travis of three federation ships. Blake decides the only option is to ram Travis's ship but before the battle reaches it's conclusion the goddess Sinofar suspends the battle and set Blake and Travis in a one-on-one death match on a forest planet

Another freedom-fighter, Avalon, is held hostage by Travis in a Federation detention cell, and is recovered by Blake's crew. Travis devises a plan to destroy Blake and his crew using Avalon.

Gan's limiter malfunctions, and the crew go to space station XK-72 to have it repaired, at the risk of being discovered. The neurosurgeon notifies the Federation and delays surgery long enough for Federation forces to arrive.

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 Liberator crew fly to Aristo to deliver the supplies to Ensor, in exchange for radiation drugs and the computer Orac, which Ensor gives to Blake before he dies. Orac predicts the destruction of the Liberator.