Star Wars: Legacy: Fight Another Day

"Today wasn't really a victory. All we won was the right to fight another day."

- Treis Sinde

Star Wars: Legacy: Fight Another Day is the ninth story arc of the comic series Star Wars: Legacy. It stars Treis Sinde, an Imperial Knight of the Empire-in-exile, as he fights with the Mon Calamari Rangers of the water world Dac against the aquatic forces of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire in the year 137 ABY. Genocide has been declared by Darth Krayt on the Mon Calamari in the midst of an Imperial Civil War, and Sinde, stranded on-world, is serving as an advisor to the Rangers as they hold off the onslaught of Krayt's war machines. His belief in sacrificing others for the greater good contrasts with the Ranger's Captain Tanquar, who wants to save everyone he can, and their opposing viewpoints come to a head after they disable an Imperial Acklay battle fortress that attacks a group of Mon Calamari refugees. Meanwhile, Darth Azard and Vul Isen&mdash;two members of Darth Krayt's One Sith&mdash;unleash a monstrous Sea Leviathan into Dac's oceans, and Sinde and Tanquar must reach a compromise regarding how best to deal with the new threat.

Fight Another Day is composed of two issues: Legacy thirty-second and thirty-third. Both were written by John Ostrander, with Omar Francia penciling and inking; Francia created fully poseable 3D models of the story's various vehicles before putting them to the page. Fight Another Day, Part 2 introduces new continuity by naming Jagged Fel, a star of several Star Wars novels, as the first Emperor of the Fel Empire&mdash;Ostrander held off making the revelation for nearly three years but felt that the time was finally right. The two issues of Fight Another Day were released by Dark Horse Comics in January and February of 2009, respectively, and around 25,000 copies of each were shipped to comic shops worldwide. Reception to the story was generally positive amongst fans and reviewers, with its examination of loyalty and duty often named as a highlight. Fight Another Day was later included in the 2009 Star Wars: Legacy Volume 7: Storms trade paperback and the 2013 hardcover omnibus Star Wars: Legacy Book 2, and digital versions of its two issues were released in 2012.

Part 1
"This is not their environment, but the Imperials have a policy&mdash;everything is to be made the domain of the Emperor. The Mon Calamari have no defense&hellip; but they do have defenders."

- Narration included in Fight Another Day, Part 1

In the year 137 ABY, weeks after Galactic Emperor Darth Krayt has ordered the extermination of the Mon Calamari species on their homeworld of Dac, a group of Mon Calamari are hiding in a makeshift settlement in the depths of the planet's oceans. They are discovered and attacked, however, by aquatic war machines of Krayt's Imperial Army: the Acklay-class mobile fortress Sea Lion and the shark underwater fighters of Shark Squadron. Members of the Mon Calamari Rangers resistance movement come to their rescue inside Krakana underwater fighters, and as a flurry of laser blasts fills the ocean, the Acklay Battle Fortress's Commander Sturves dispatches seatroopers into the melee. The squadron is quickly disposed of by the lightsaber of Imperial Knight Master Treis Sinde, who has been fighting on the side of the Rangers since becoming trapped on-world.

Sinde storms the Sea Lion bridge, and massive damage is caused when defensive blaster bolts rupture a fuel tank. Sinde is forced to kill the fortress's chief mechanic, Bor Alsek&mdash;a former comrade of his during their mutual service to the Fel Empire, before the beginning of the Imperial Civil War&mdash;and he retreats back to the ocean as the crippled Sea Lion flees. The Rangers return to the dry land of their grotto base, where Sinde berates the Ranger Captain Tanquar for launching a premature attack, thereby preventing them from capturing a badly-needed mobile fortress. Although Tanquar did so in order to prevent his people from dying, Sinde tells him to prioritize&mdash;they are not fighting for victory, but merely for time, so that other forces in the galaxy may rescue them from without. A plan is then hatched to ferry the recovered refugees to a safer location, and Tanquar and Sinde engage in a calmer conversation, reflecting upon the battle and discussing the question of obedience and loyalty.

Meanwhile, several kilometers away, an Aquatic Terrain Armored Transport swimmer watches over Imperial Extermination Camp 28 in the Soheras Trench. Onboard, the Sith Lord Darth Azard and the Sith scientist Vul Isen discuss how to best proceed with the genocide ordered by Darth Krayt, who is also the leader of their One Sith. Isen has adapted a massive Leviathan creature to undersea use, and the two Sith accordingly use the Force to touch the mind of the nearby sleeping Sea Leviathan and bend it to their will. The beast massacres the refugees in the camp, absorbing their life energies and sentience as it does so. Azard and Isen then decide to send the creature to the site of the earlier battle in order to draw out the Mon Calamari Rangers.

Part 2
"We are not your people. Your Emperor doesn't require us as allies. So&mdash;why do you do this?''" "''Because you're my friend, Tanquar."

- Tanquar and Treis Sinde

The Mon Calamari Rangers Shonmai and Adriphar are searching the Devil's Crevasse at the outer regions of their patrol zone. When they spot the Sea Leviathan, it absorbs Adriphar's life energy and sends Shonmai fleeing back to base. Azard and Isen let her go and draw out the Rangers, and proceed to argue over who is the higher-ranked Sith on their mission. Back at the grotto, Treis Sinde is finally able to use a jerrybuilt comm unit to contact his Emperor, Roan Fel of the Empire-in-exile. Sinde protests Fel's order that he return to the fortress world of Bastion, but the Emperor is adamant that Sinde's duty is to him and not to the Mon Calamari. Tanquar overhears the conversation, but their ensuing argument is quickly broken up by Shonmai's return.

Tanquar orders an immediate counterattack in order to save the refugees they earlier released, and when Sinde declares the plan to be suicide, the captain asserts that it is not the Mon Calamari way to sacrifice the helpless for the greater good. Sinde proposes a compromise, and when the Rangers meet the Leviathan and the AT-AT swimmer near the Devil's Crevasse, his plan is carried out: the Rangers concentrate their fire on the swimmer while the nearby refugees are moved into the crevasse. Several devilsquid emerge from the crevasse; Sinde is riding one of them and taming them all with the Force. As they attack the Leviathan, Azard orders shark underwater fighters deployed despite the loss of shielding around the hatch that doing so will entail. Azard is confident that the Mon Calamari value their own lives too much to directly assault the heavily-defended, non-shielded area, but Shonmai sacrifices her life and rams the hatch, which sets off a chain reaction and destroys the entire swimmer.

The devilsquid drag the Leviathan into the crevasse, and Tanquar rescues a weakened Master Sinde from going down with them. In the bridge of the downed swimmer, Azard's shoulder is impaled by debris, and he is similarly rescued by Isen. The two Sith then swim to safety. At the Rangers' grotto, Sinde again speaks with Emperor Fel, who is unable to spare a shuttle to retrieve him. Sinde maintains that it is impossible to leave the planet, and Fel reluctantly accepts his stubbornness. Tanquar overhears the conversation and thanks Sinde, who tells him that the only thing won from the battle is the right to fight another day.

Treis Sinde


Master Treis Sinde is an Imperial Knight of Roan Fel's Empire-in-Exile. He became stranded on Dac after Darth Krayt declared genocide on the Mon Calamari, and he has since been fighting the aquatic forces of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire alongside the Mon Calamari Rangers. Sinde is firm that his role is an advisory one rather than that of a leader, but his Imperial frame of mind, which advocates sacrificing others for the greater good, clashes with the Rangers' desire to save everyone they can, even at the cost of their own lives. Sinde regrets killing his former comrade Bor Alsek, believing that the mechanic's only crime was obedience to Krayt's Empire. Although his duty as an Imperial Knight is to serve the Force as embodied by his Emperor, Sinde ultimately defies Roan Fel's order to return to Bastion by claiming that it is impossible for him to get offworld.

Tanquar
Captain Tanquar is the leader of the Mon Calamari Rangers. He is willing to compromise carefully-laid plans and to blindly rush into battle in order to save helpless refugees. Although his mindset leads to frequent arguments with Treis Sinde, the two maintain a professional respect for one another and call each other friends, and Tanquar saves Sinde's life during the battle at the Devil's Crevasse. Unlike Sinde, Tanquar has no regrets regarding Bor Alsek's death, arguing that the mechanic's role aboard the Sea Lion rendered him complicit in the crime of genocide.

Darth Azard
The Sith Lord Darth Azard has been appointed by Darth Krayt to oversee the extermination of the Mon Calamari, and he steadfastly obeys Krayt's order to not target any other species. Azard sees the Mon Calamari's compassion as a weakness, and he believes that Vul Isen, his fellow Sith, questions Krayt's orders too much. He openly tells Isen that, lacking a Darth title, he is not Azard's equal, and is consequently surprised when Isen rescues him from the sunken AT-AT swimmer.

Vul Isen
Vul Isen is a Sith scientist who has been sent to Dac to speed up the Mon Calamari's demise. Despite Krayt's order that none of Dac's other sentient species should die, Isen hopes to unleash his experimental viral spores into the oceans and kill every living thing on the planet. Azard's vigilance stays his hand, however. Isen defends his constant questioning to Azard, calling it the nature of a scientist, and he disagrees with the Sith Lord's declaration of his inferiority. He is confident that his skills serve the One Sith as importantly as do those of a warrior, and he rescues Azard from the downed swimmer due to his belief that they are equal servants of Darth Krayt. Isen impatiently awaits the day that the genocide is complete, as he prefers the artistry of breaking a population's will.

Shonmai
The Mon Calamari Ranger Shonmai is uncomfortable with Treis Sinde's decision to send the rescued refugees away from the Ranger's grotto, but she sees logic in his reasoning that it is both safer and a better use of resources to escort them elsewhere. After spotting the Sea Leviathan, Shonmai insists on doing a reconnaissance run so that Tanquar and Sinde may be fully aware of its danger, and she attempts to rescue Adriphar after he is knocked from his Krakana. Adriphar is killed, however, and Shonmai is later ordered by Tanquar not to participate in the battle at the Devil's Crevasse. Shonmai ignores the order in order to save her people, and during the fight, she rams her Krakana into the Sea Lion. Her sacrifice allows her fellow Rangers to bring the battle fortress down.

Bor Alsek
Bor Alsek is the chief mechanic aboard the Sea Lion. He served the Fel Empire under Treis Sinde prior to Darth Krayt's usurping of the throne and the beginning of the Imperial Civil War, and when Sinde storms the Sea Lion, Alsek questions why an Imperial is attacking other Imperials. Sinde asserts that Roan Fel is the rightful Emperor, but Alsek simply states that he obeys his superiors without debating right or wrong. Sinde is forced to kill him, but the Imperial Knight is shaken by the action, which leads to an argument between himself and Tanquar over the question of duty.

Development
"Some (characters)&mdash;like Roan Fel, Shado, Rav, Queen Jool&mdash;were there from the start of the series, and some&mdash;like Treis Sinde or Gar Stazi&mdash;we discovered along the way. I think the supporting cast has really been part of the success of the series. So many of them could support a series or miniseries of their own. And all have their own backstory."

- John Ostrander, on the development of Treis Sinde and other characters throughout the production of Star Wars: Legacy The comic book series Star Wars: Legacy was first published by Dark Horse Comics in June 2006. Series creators John Ostrander and Jan Duursema developed an extensive cast of characters prior to its launch, but as Legacy progressed, new characters were added to the mix. One such character was Treis Sinde, who first appeared in April 2008's Star Wars: Legacy 22: The Wrath of the Dragon. The issue saw him stranded on the planet Dac after Darth Krayt's declaration of genocide, and concluded with him joining forces with a Mon Calamari resistance movement. Sinde's further adventures on Dac were developed by Ostrander for Legacy thirty-second and thirty-third issues: Parts 1 and 2 of the series' ninth story arc, Star Wars: Legacy: Fight Another Day.

The story arc's second issue, Fight Another Day, Part 2, introduces new continuity to Legacy by establishing the identity of Roan Fel's grandfather, the first Emperor of the Fel Empire, as Jagged Fel, a character who had already starred in several Star Wars novels. The first Emperor Fel's identity had been a secret since the 2006 release of Star Wars: Legacy 0, but Ostrander "felt it was necessary, appropriate, and it was time" to make the reveal. The issue's script was approved by Lucasfilm Ltd., who, according to Ostrander, would have removed the revelation if they had felt that it compromised the novels in which Jagged was still appearing.

Fight Another Day marks the first appearance of the Mon Calamari Rangers. Ostrander considered using the previously-established Mon Calamari Knights, a group that first appeared in the fifth chapter of the 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon, but as Legacy already featured such similarly-named groups as the Jedi Knights and Imperial Knights, he instead sought out permission to create the new "Mon Calamari Rangers" for the Legacy era. He hoped for the Rangers to be presented in the same tradition as the Knights despite visual differences between the two. Ostrander was also eager to chronicle the Rangers' story under the sea, a setting not normally used in Star Wars comics and which he felt offered its own demands and risks.

Omar Francia, the artist behind Fight Another Day, was also excited to work in an underwater environment. He created fully poseable 3D models of all of the arc's vehicles, including the Acklay Battle Fortress's interior, as well as models of the Sea Leviathan and the seatroopers' plasma rifle. This allowed him to place a model in a certain position, print the image, and then pencil it into the comic. His initial design for the Sea Leviathan was done before he knew about the existing Leviathans in Expanded Universe lore, and he later used those Leviathans to develop a more accurate final model. Francia also provided the covers for both of Fight Another Day issues, which were done with a mixture of 3D models and traditional illustrations. While designing the arc's Mon Calamari characters, he was determined to make their faces recognizable and expressive, and not at all like the limited Mon Calamari puppets used in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi&mdash;his goal was to show various kinds of faces that would decidedly not give the reader the impression that the Mon Calamari were an "animal species." Francia's work was praised by Ostrander, who admitted that he had thrown a lot at the artist, and Francia in turn called the story "beautifully written" and something on which he wished he could have worked for an entire year rather than a few months.

In addition to Ostrander's script and Francia's penciling, inking, and cover art, Brad Anderson's colors and Michael Heisler's letters helped bring both issues of Fight Another Day to life. Mike Richardson was credited as the Publisher, Freddye Lins as the Assistant Editor, Dave Marshall as the Associate Editor, Randy Stradley as the Editor, and Sean Cooke as the Designer. Dark Horse posted a three-page online preview for each issue in advance of its release, and the "Blaster" department of Star Wars Insider 107, released in January 2009, showcased Fight Another Day with a preview that included quotes from both Ostrander and Francia. Dark Horse published Fight Another Day, Part 1 on January 28, 2009 and Fight Another Day, Part 2 on February 25 of the same year; both issues include a page that features Francia's concept art in lieu of a letters section. Their digital editions were made available for purchase in 2012 on February 22 and March 21, respectively, and Fight Another Day was later published as a single, uninterrupted story in Star Wars: Legacy Volume 7: Storms, a trade paperback released on December 2, 2009. It was also included in Star Wars: Legacy Book 2, a hardcover omnibus released on September 18, 2013.

Continuity
"Imperial Knights believe we serve the Force by serving an Empire that brings order. For three generations our duty has been to the Emperor, going back to Jagged Fel."

- Treis Sinde drops a bombshell on the readers in Fight Another Day, Part 2

In naming Jagged Fel as the first Emperor of the Fel Empire, the second issue of Fight Another Day tied the Fel Empire's continuity into that of the Legacy of the Force novels. Although 2007's Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Special Edition did name Roan Fel as a descendant of Jagged's father, Baron Soontir Fel, and 2008's Invincible&mdash;the final volume of Legacy of the Force&mdash;placed Jagged in charge of the Imperial Remnant, the Fel Empire's precursor, it was not until Fight Another Day, Part 2 that all of the dots were explicitly connected. The Essential Atlas, released later in 2009, went on to discuss how Jagged's leadership of the Remnant morphed into an Emperorship.

In Fight Another Day, Part 1, Vul Isen adapts a Leviathan creature to undersea use. A Leviathan first appeared in the 1998–1999 comic miniseries Jedi Academy: Leviathan. The Imperial seatroopers and AT-AT swimmer seen in Fight Another Day date back to the 1988 roleplaying game adventure Battle for the Golden Sun, while the Krakana underwater fighters share a name with the krakana, a creature native to Dac that first appeared in the 1994 novel Dark Apprentice.

Reception
"This issue, the beginning of a new story-arc, features a group of Mon Calamari rangers engaging in underwater hit and run tactics against their Sith-led Imperial oppressors. That's right, Mon Calamari rangers. As in commandos. Mon Calamari. And it's pretty kick ass."

- Review of Fight Another Day, Part 1 from Chud.com, re-posted on DarkHorse.com

25,806 issues of Fight Another Day, Part 1 were shipped to comic shops worldwide in January 2009, and 25,384 of Part 2 the following month. Each issue was Dark Horse's second-best-selling comic of the month, falling only behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Part 1 was the overall seventieth-best-selling comic in January, and Part 2 the seventy-first in February. Following their respective releases, both issues of Fight Another Day were received positively at the Jedi Council Forums, but reviews on the Dark Horse Message Boards were more mixed. A review of Part 1 from Chud.com that was re-posted on Dark Horse's official website called it "kick ass" and "a very good issue of a great series," positing that Legacy side stories were just as exciting as the series' main storyline. The reviewer felt that Sinde's chance encounter with Bor Alsek was slightly out of place, but also praised the interesting discussion about duty that it spawned.

On TheForce.Net, reviewer JF Boivin awarded both issues a 7.5/10, praising the change of pace from Legacy main storyline; the diversity of the alien species used; Francia's art and designs; Anderson's coloring; and the examination of loyalty. Boivin did, however, assert that Darth Azard was a rather one-dimensional villain. At the end of 2009, members of the Jedi Council Forums voted Fight Another Day the best Star Wars comic story arc of the year. As of October 21, 2013, the Storms trade paperback maintains an average rating of 4/5 stars on Amazon.com after eight customer reviews, and 3.97/5 from 245 ratings on Goodreads.com.

Legacy
"Yes, I know that his Imperial Highness ordered me back to Bastion to train more Knights, Sigel. However, I'm obeying the Force. The Mon Calamari Rangers also need me, and I believe the Force is telling me to remain with them."

- Treis Sinde, to Sigel Dare, in Legacy forty-second issue

Sinde's presence on Dac is revisited as early as Legacy thirty-fifth issue, which sees Roan Fel dispatch the Imperial Knight Sigel Dare to Dac to retrieve her wayward comrade. Her mission is depicted in the forty-second issue, where she meets with Sinde and Tanquar on Dac's surface but is told by Sinde that he intends to remain on-world with the Rangers. An adamant Dare initiates a lightsaber duel, but the Jedi Master Asaak Dan&mdash;who has accompanied Dare on her mission&mdash;breaks up the fight and offers to take Sinde's place. In Legacy forty-seventh issue, Isen is ordered by the Imperial Regent Darth Wyyrlok to release his viral spores and poison all life on Dac; the resulting massacre leads to Isen and Azard serving as the primary antagonists of Legacy final story arc, Extremes.

Collections

 * Star Wars: Legacy Volume 7: Storms
 * Star Wars: Legacy Book 2