Well, that chapter was epic! Beyond the appearance of the Tomsons' and their 'militia to fend off bandits', I really loved Luke's last part. I like what you did with the Rogues in Aquila, too. Bueno, my friend, bueno.
Yet, I must admit I have had some concerns about messenger pigeons and now I'm paying the price for not voicing them. You see, even though, that pigeon in PD finds the prisoners without knowing where thedude's fortress was, that was PD when stuff didn't make a lot of sense. If we were to continue using pigeons that automatically know where anyone is, then the repercussions are heavy. The magical map wouldn't be necessary and the Knights' isolation would not have happened, seeing as they could just use pigeons to communicate with each other. thedude, too, could perhaps take advantage of this to find the Knights and other enemies of his like you showed in this chapter I believe real-life pigeons were trained to only visit certain places; we could go as far as to let pigeons be able to find any place as long as you told them where to go. But for them to find people instead of places would not make sense.
The use of pigeons is a central part of this chapter, I understand, but I'm not sure how this could work.
For a more minor thing, you seem to indirectly reference N_B's encyclopedia where one of the two moons was mentioned to have been destroyed by a Rhoddwr Marwolaeth still-in-testing. What I noted when I first read that was that since the Rad Washing Machine was constructed near Forbidden Valley the chances of its getting there would be very low. If we are to stick with that idea, we should find a practical way in which this should have been achieved (though in reality I mourn for that moon and the Skyfalls. Why did you want it gone, N_B, why? :P).
But do not be deterred by these comments. I really did like the chapter.