Author's notes: The series was vague on exactly how long the galactic war lasted. I personally assume the figure to be a matter of weeks. This story is set a couple of days in.

Disclaimer: Blakes 7 is the property of… somebody or other (how do these things work anyway?) If it's me than nobody's bothered to tell me!

War Machine

Chapter 1: Battleship

The quiet serenity of outer space is rarely shattered. But for today, it was a catastrophic cacophony of chaos. Every ship in two whole galaxies had swarmed to the top end of the Milky Way, where a fleet from the Andromeda Galaxy had materialised out of the black. The two sides were rapidly in the process of blasting each other to pieces. The galaxy at large could hear nothing, thanks to the vacuum of space, but the phenomenal arsenal of weapons fired, combined with the exploding ships would create a fireworks show that would light up the night sky in every world the light passed over in the next 20,000 years.

Disorganisation was rife on both sides, with neither side knowing exactly what they were dealing with, and no experience of their strengths and weaknesses. The whole battle resembled more of a mob war. The two fleets flinging everything they had at each other in the hopes of wrecking something.

In the midst of the fight, the starship Liberator was the toughest thing the human race had in the region. For a time, it had been the only thing standing in the Andromedans' way, after they'd blasted a hole in the minefield the Federation had built in their path. For a few hours, the heavy armaments on board had wrecked everything that came through the bottleneck. But spaceship waves had gradually driven them back and, by the time the backup had arrived, the Andromedans had already fanned out, waging war right across the spiral.

The Liberator's crew continued the fight, alongside their usual enemies. The war had been ongoing for two days now but the aliens just kept coming. The crew were rotating themselves to allow each a few hours rest. What little they could manage in the midst of battle.

Finally, a voice came over the radio, instructing all first wave ships to disengage and refit. For once, the whole crew were in agreement when they decided to go along with it. Jenna steered the ship straight towards a nice quiet star system. It was too resource poor and out of the way to create a likelihood of either side interrupting their refit.

"Zen." Said Blake. "Full status report."

"Information. Coming Zen it but plague affirmative. Strange you would who but she sounds. Jenna channel, Federation they were then know." Said the computer.

"His voice circuits must be damaged." Said Blake. "Avon, see if you can do something about that. Orac, status report."

"That is not my function." Said Orac. "I am a researcher, not a flight computer."

"I hate arrogant computers." Said Avon and gave Orac's casing a solid whack. "Tell us the status of the life support, weapons, drive systems and power banks."

"Life support at 90%. Weapons at 0% Drive systems at 15%, with 20% of the manoeuvring thrusters non-operational. Power banks are at 10%."

"The power, we can restore by orbiting a planet somewhere." Said Blake. "We'll need to take a look at the neutron blasters before we re-join the battle."

"We may have a more immediate problem." Said Jenna. She pointed to the scanner screen, this ship, whatever it is, has been trailing us since we left the battle. And they're gaining, fast."

"Can you shake them?" Said Blake.

"I'm trying that now. I don't think I can, with the ship in this state."

"This is the fastest ship in the galaxy!" Blake insisted.

"This galaxy. And we're low on power. Can't manage more than standard by two."

"Then we'll have to fight. Zen, prioritise the weapons repair."

"Doorstop." Said Zen.

"Until I restore the voice circuits, he won't be prioritising anything. That may take a while." Said Avon.

Villa had returned from his rest period, and was stood at the entrance to the bridge, listening in. "Zen's never helpful at the best of times. What's so special now?"

Blake thought for a moment. "So we can't run and we can't return fire… Right, turn the ship around."

"You can't be suggesting what I think you're suggesting!" Cried Villa.

"They don't know our weapons need repairing. If we run, they'll work it out. But this way, we can bluff them out. Or at least overshoot them." Blake insisted.

"Much as it pains me to say it, Villa has a point." Said Avon. "We don't know what the Andromedans are armed with. There's no knowing if the shields are designed to cope with it."

"Try asking Orac."

"Tell us something about the ship Orac."

"Specify which." Said the computer.

"The one chasing us."

"The ship contains none of the tarriel cells necessary to perform my function."

"In absence of a sane idea. I say we try it." Said Jenna, slingshoting a convenient asteroid. "Orac, observer the ship carefully, record all its capabilities and transmit them to the rest of the fleet. Closing at 10,000 spaciels."

Villa clung tightly to the ringed sofa. "Great, now we're flying straight at an unknown ship, unarmed, crippled, one computer's blind, the other's mute…"

"7000 spaciels."

"We're all going to die because of Blake!"

"And it took you two years to work that out." Avon muttered.

"2000 spaciels. They've launched a salvo."

"Shields up." Said Blake. "Everyone brace for impact. If we make it through this, they should…" He was cut off mid-sentence, as a jolt threw them all to the floor. The shuddering went on for several more painful seconds, before Jenna crawled up her console and hit some buttons. By then, the lights had gone out, and the emergency lighting kicked in instead.

"I've stabilised us." She said. "But they've knocked out one of the main boosters. Without it, we're just going in circles."

"Well that worked brilliantly, didn't it?" Snapped Avon.

"Oh that's not going to help!" Shouted Villa.

"One more hit and we're done for." Said Blake. "Abandon ship. Head for the teleport."

"To where?" Said Jenna, who knew none of the planets in this system had a breathable atmosphere.

"Their ship. We have to try boarding."

"Wait!" Said Cally. "Look!"

On the RADAR screen, another shape was appearing above the Andromedan ship, relative to it, closing fast. Having neutralised the Liberator, they turned to deal with this new threat.

"I never thought I would be pleased to see a Federation battle cruiser." Said Villa.

"They must have been following us from the main battle." Said Cally.

"Given how much damage we sustained, they'll cut through them like cardboard. We'll have to warn them." Said Blake.

Avon hit a button on his console. "It's no good, the radio's not working."

On the main screen, they watched as the two craft launched a salvo at around the same time. Since neither side had designed their shields to cope with the other's weapons, they were mostly reliant upon their outer armour. The Federation bombardment hit the Andromedans hard, puncturing the hull in several places, but it flew on.

The return fire was much more devastating. The whole front section of the Federation ship was ripped apart. A massive fireball shot out, before quickly extinguishing in the vacuum of space. The ship was left as a crippled wreck, hurtling onwards.

However, by pure chance, one of the impacts on the Andromedan ship had crossed wired a key system. As they tried to manoeuvre away, the wrong thrusters fired and they instead spun on the spot. Before they could correct their mistake, the battlecruiser had smashed into their rim. The internal structure could handle the impact from a ship that was already falling apart, but the fragments travelled along both sides of the hull, smashing, scaring or denting anything that was sticking out, which just happened to include all their weapons.

Blake's crew watched the battleship with baited breath. When five minutes had passed without them attacking, they breathed a bit easier. "They're adrift now, just like us." Said Blake. "It's all going to come down to who can get running sooner."

Avon looked over Zen's circuitry with a sense of despair. He wasn't sure what the battle damage had done, but it had been extensive. And he'd have to pick through it all carefully or he risked shutting the ship down altogether. It didn't help that the System hadn't supplied any blueprints. All he had to go on was the guidance of the galaxy's most stubborn computer.

But until they could get the voice circuits working again, they were pretty helpless. Jenna hadn't been able to leave her station since the autopilot couldn't be engaged. And their inability to prioritise the auto repair meant that it was trying to repair everything at once, regardless of how frivolous (the main guns would be working around the same time as the ice machine.) The others were trying to help by repairing as much as they could manually.

In the meantime, the crew were regularly glancing at the view screen, where an army of small probes was busy patching up the damage to the Andromedan ship.

Blake wasn't sure whether to tell the others what he'd discovered. They had no means of recharging the orange crystals which powered the main guns. Nor did they have any to replace them with.

"Blake, get up here." Jenna's voice came over the intercom. "I've picked up a distress signal."

Blake abandoned what he was repairing and ran up to the bridge.

"The Federation ship's outer hull is designed to act as a crumple zone." Jenna explained. "The area around the bridge is much tougher, and instantly seals airtight the moment there's a breach. It's designed to be thrown clear as the rest of the ship breaks up. That's just what happened here. Now they've come to rest on that ice moon over there."

Before enquiring further, Blake had another issue on his mind. "I thought you said the radio wasn't working, Avon. If that's the case, the message shouldn't have got through."

"Whoops." Avon shrugged.

"What's in the central pod Orac?" Said Blake.

"The pod should contain the bridge, emergency generators and a few storerooms." Said the computer.

"Would the storerooms contain any of the crystals?"
"It is likely."

"If we can get hold of them, we can recharge the gun straight away." Said Blake. "I'll go across and offer to evacuate the survivors. And bring the crystals with us."

"Are you really planning on helping Federation troops?" Said Avon.

"We're all on the same side now."

"You're still the Federation's most wanted. If you go, they'll shoot you on sight."

"I'll send Cally then."

"Why her?"

"Would you rather I send Villa on a vital mission? Orac, what's the status of the trans-mat?"

"Please specify." Said Orac. "If you refer to the propagation of signals through…"

"Can we safely transport her down, yes or no?" Said Avon.

"Yes."

"It seems they've had the same idea." Said Jenna, pointing at the view screen. A blue haze was forming in a string between the aliens and the Federation, and slowly thickening. "Tractor beam. Once the power's built up too much longer, it'll lift them free of the moon."

"They must need to salvage something as well. We'd better get moving if we're to stop them getting it." Said Blake.

As the Liberator faded around her, Cally found herself in a short stretch of corridor, with two heavy blast doors at either end. Thanks largely to Servilan's efforts, most Federation ships maintained interference fields around the bridge, which made it impossible to trans-mat in. Fortunately, they'd been able to put her down only a door away. Unfortunately, it was a heavy blast door and it was locked.

"I'm down, over." She said into her bracelet, but got no response. Apparently that system was one of the many things in need of repair at the moment. Instead, she communicated telepathically. "I'm down safely. But there's a heavy security door between me and the bridge. I need Villa's help opening it."

As she waited for a response, she took a look at the two unlocked doors leading off the corridor. One of them led into a bathroom. The other, into the officers' mess. She carefully hid the suitcase full of bracelets she'd brought down. Once they delivered the crystals, she'd retrieve it.

Looking round the room, she thought she could sense something emanating fear. But her chain of thought was broken as Villa flashed into the ship, midway through some final retort, no doubt intended for whoever had forcefully persuaded him to come. "…with fragments of whatever's left over!"

"Shall we get on with it?" Said Cally.

"It is a fascinating matter to ponder." Said Orac.

"What is?"

"Why the Andromedans would choose to attack at all."

"Orac." Said Blake. "That's not what I asked. I asked how long until the tractor beam takes hold?"

"Then I suggest you look for yourself."

The Federation pod was shaking and shuddering, before finally it lifted free, in a shower of snow, and was carried neatly towards the enemy.

"Keep the com link open. If we need to beam them up, let me know. I need to get back to repairs."

Villa picked himself up off the floor. "The ship Shook! Did you feel the ship shake? I don't like it when ship's shake. It means something bad's happened."

"Just get the door open Villa." Said Cally. "Then we can get out of here."

"But it's a fused lock! Must doors are designed to be opened by people going through them. These are supposed to stop intruders dead. The only way of opening it is from the bridge. And if I hot wire the system to harshly, it blows up in your face. It's impossible."

"How impossible?" Said Cally.

"20 minutes."

Jenna watched as the Federation ship disappeared into the Andromedans' cargo bay.

"It is odd you know. Why invade an entire galaxy, knowing nothing about it?"

"Most likely, the same reason the Federation. Colonised Savagus Minor. Or the Spanish colonised South America." Said Orac. "They saw some resources they could attain, in a land within their reach, so they took it for themselves."

"Spanish?" Said Jenna, who hadn't heard the term before.

"You wouldn't have heard of them. The education system's not interested in teaching anything that isn't propaganda." Said Blake.

"But the colonials were typically fighting species with inferior technology." Said Avon. "Here, we can match them shot for shot. So why go to all this trouble? Unless there's a deeper reason."

"Villa. Do you hear something?" Said Cally, pressing her ear against the door leading away from the bridge.

Villa stood up from his work and went to have a listen himself. A hissing, burning noise was seeping through. "The aliens are trying to blowtorch through the doors." Strangely, he was pleased by this latest development. "There's at least three doors between us and them. And they're designed to withstand any blasting. If they can't hack the system, they'll never get here in time."

Avon soldered together what he hoped would be the final link. "Try it now."

"Zen. I need a quick damage summary." Said Jenna.

"Yellow mother custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye." Said Zen.

"Then the problem must be further forward." It'll take a while longer.

"Villa. I don't mean to alarm you, but that noise fell silent for a moment, then picked up again. I think they're through the first door."

"Don't worry, nearly got it open." He said.

Realising that leaving the teleport bracelets here would mean risking those creatures blocking them off if they broke through, Cally went to the officers' quarters to retrieve them. She'd take them to the bridge with her.

But stepping in, she once more felt a presence nearby, much more strongly than before. "I know you're in here." She thought at it. As she'd hoped, she heard a yelp of surprise from a cupboard and promptly flung it open.

Inside, was a woman in Federation guard's uniform, minus the helmet. "Don't kill me! I never liked these guys anyway. I was thinking of deserting for a while."

"We're here to help." Said Cally.

"But you're Blake's lot aren't you? The only human beings with teleport systems. Everyone's afraid of fighting you."

"We've put our differences aside for the moment. Now come with us if you want to escape."

The woman gulped and moved out of the cupboard, out into the corridor.

"What's your name?" Said Cally.

"Sarah."

"I'm Cally, this is Villa."

"It's alright, by the way." Villa shook her hand. "I don't care much about the cause. I just sort of got caught up in it."

He returned to work, hot wiring the last few circuits, until he had one connection left. "Cally, get ready." Behind them, they heard a clunk as the Andromedans made it through the second door. "Better make this quick." He hot wired the last circuit and the door lifted free.

Stepping through, they found two men and three women in officer's uniform stood around a collection of dead control consoles. Each of them pointed a gun at them.

"Don't shoot!" Cally said quickly. "We're here to help. We picked up your distress signal. We got here just before the aliens did."

"Why should we trust you?" Said a woman in Captain's uniform. "For all we know you could be shape shifters."

"Shape shifters have not learned telepathic communication." She thought at them.

Most of them lowered their guns a bit, but the Captain raised her's further. "You're Cally aren't you? One of Blake's followers."

"We've come to get you off this ship. But first, we need to salvage some orange crystals."

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "I don't bargain with terrorists."

"I do!" Sarah said quickly. "Get me out of here!"

The first officer noticed Sarah was there for the first time and stepped forward. "Why aren't you at your post?"

"I don't know if you've noticed, but my post's drifting about in space."

"Which means you must have run and hid the moment the battle started. Left everyone else to die."

"Give her a break, Coombs." Said a large woman. "You should be glad she's alive."

"It would have been more fitting if she'd died." Coombs muttered. "You're letting her get away with too much, Vickers."

"Well, I'm the head of security, not you."

Coombs noticed a glow appearing in the corner of the door, where the aliens were blowtorching their way through. At the same time, the Captain was continuing to argue with Cally. "Will you give it a rest, Hammond, you've already lost half your crew, don't lose the other half."

The Captain scowled at him. "May I remind you that I'm still the captain of this ship. How do we know Blake won't shoot us all on sight?"

"You're the captain of a wreck. Right now, they're the lesser of two evils."

"We have strict protocols forbidding us from making any sorts of deals with outlaws." "Well then who do you expect to pick up your distress signal?" Said Cally.

"I never sent a signal."

"No." Said one of the men. "I did. Simon Bates, by the way, I'm the pilot here. We have to face the fact that this is the only way we're getting out of here."

"I think I speak for everyone, when I say, we're going whether you like it or not." Said Coombs.

Hammond sighed. "Very well. Simon, since you're not doing anything, there's a safe full of crystals in the armoury. Fetch them." She looked at the door, where a burn mark was rapidly spreading round the edges. "Whatever door these two opened, get it closed. The rest of you, take aim, just in case.

"Blake." Cally's voice came into his head once more. "They've agreed to our terms. Bring us aboard."

With insufficient time to reach the teleport room, he spoke into the intercom. "Orac, beam them up."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. The system is too badly damaged to bring people in."

Blake said his next sentence slowly and carefully. "You said the trans-mat was working."

"It is working. It can trans-mat people out, but not in. I can't be held responsible if you refuse to allow me elaborate."

Blake immediately abandoned the system he was fixing and raced for the teleport room.

"This means Cally and Villa are in trouble." Said Avon. "It must be Tuesday."

"Think louder Cally!" Villa insisted.

"They must have heard. For whatever reason, they can't bring us back. We'll have to hold out here for a while."

Sarah had her gun drawn, but she was backed against the wall. "I didn't sign up for this."

"This is exactly what you signed up for." Coombs growled at her.

They looked at the door, where the creatures were nearly through. "Why is the second door still open?" Said the Captain.

"The controls are jammed." Said Vickers, hitting some buttons on a control panel. "What did you do?"

"I hotwired the release circuits open." Said Villa, rushing over to the console to help, only for Vickers to push past him. And into the corridor, to have a look at the circuits herself. "Wait! All you need to do is…"

He never finished his sentence. At this point, the door broke open with an alarming crash. Their attackers were framed in its place.

"What in space are those?" Said Hammond.

"EXTERMINATE!" Roared the machines that glided through the corridor. "EXTERMINATE!"

Author's notes: Many of the writers on Blake's 7 and Doctor Who assumed that the shows shared a universe. If Terry Nation had had his way, the alien race at the end of series 2 would have been the Daleks. I was going to rewrite Star 1 to include them, but it wasn't very interesting. Instead, I've given them their own story here.

Also of note, from what little research I can find, the Milky Way and Andromeda are at right angles to each other. If they followed the shortest route, they'd hit the top (which makes sense, since series 3 implies that the destruction was quite widespread.)