After the terrible battle against their once loyal battle sibling, Hammerheart and the Blood Phoenixes returned to the Retribution to recover from the conflict.
"Let that be the last of treachery and corruption in the Chapter." said Applejack.
"Unlikely." said Pinkie, "Hoovitus clearly accused Chapter Master Traytus. I fear a heretic is in command of our entire Chapter."
Rainbow Dash spotted something in space. "Commander Hammerheart, another ship in orbit." She said, then recognized it after a better look. "It is the Stampede of Fury, Captain Pegalos' Battle Barge."
Sure enough, a call came from the ship, and Pegalos appeared onscreen.
"Commander Hammerheart, we face a terrible situation." said Pegalos. "Chapter Master Traytus has gone mad, and Philosophies has branded my siblings and I as renegades."
"Sergeant Hoovitus secretly served the powers of Discord." Applejack reported. "He has paid the price for his betrayal, but we believe the Chapter Master serves Discord as well."
Pegalos sighed through his nostrils. "I feared as much." He said. "There will come a reckoning for Traytus. I swear it."
"Dire though the situation in the Chapter may be, the threat to the sector is worse." said Twilight. "Traytus bound a mighty daemon inside Planet Arctika a thousand years ago. Skarsend is intent on releasing it, and destroying the planet in the process."
"Without the Blood Phoenixes to defend the sector, all our recruiting worlds will fall." said Rainbow Dash.
"The Chapter Master may have branded us as renegades, but we still stand with our worlds." said Pegalos. "We must mount an assault and eliminate the foul monstrosity here and now. I am transferring details to your planetary display. Pegalos out."
Hammerheart focused upon the area where Nettor resided, and it was time to slay the great daemon once and for all.
"Commander Hammerheart, the daemon Nettor is manifesting in the ruins of Keep Selene." said Pegalos. "This was once the grandest of our Chapter Keeps. Now, the Dark Legion infests its ruins. Skarsend's forces are well entrenched and prepared to repel any surgical strike. Nevertheless, we must, we will, prevail."
"How will we crack the Dark Legion defenses?" said Hammerheart.
"Hunter Tanks from the Stampede of Fury will drive into the enemy's defensive line." said Pegalos. "Their mission is to destroy key Dark Legion installations. Once the hunters eliminate their targets, my forces will launch an all-out assault on the Chapter Keep. With the Dark Legion repelling our assault, you can drop into the keep itself and strike at the daemon."
Hammerheart contacted Spike. "Can we coordinate the Hunter's activities?"
"We can supervise their attack in order to better prepare for our strike." said Spike. "One Hunter will deploy in the Annihilator Pattern, perfect for dealing with enemy armor. The other will use the Destructor Pattern, better suited for dealing with heavy infantry."