"Uh."

"If all the Sith show up to duel me, they're not busy rubbing their noses in crystal caves like cranky children. And if we kill enough of them the Sith in charge will get the message and bugger off. Granted, I will probably have to go break more things for them to care, I don't think this is enough to make anyone that isn't already paying close attention take notice. They weren't expecting to hold this spot."

"I guess we'll stick around for a while longer, then."

"Yeah. We'll comm the Jedi and let them know I'm being crazy."

"Maybe don't say the Sith thing."

"I will be the picture of innocence about the Sith thing. Unless they ask, in which case, I will tell the truth."

So they call in their success, and get some people out to help them hold the position.

No Imperial response is forthcoming.

Eh. About what he expected. Guess he'll just have to pull this trick again.

He'll be sure to wear black next time.

There are more skirmishes over the next few weeks, mostly inconclusive. The Sith are proving troublesome to dislodge. Proper Republic reinforcements arrive at about the same time as Imperial ones, so the overall balance doesn't change much. Trenches are dug, supply depots contructed, artillery emplacements erected.

And from above, the Cipher watches it all.

There's one small wrench in her plans. Apparently, someone on the invasion team was really good friends with someone in the Imperial Science Bureau, because they got sent a sample of Adegan crystal. And that scientist used the sample to construct a functional cloaking engine prototype. So now Ilum is more than a pissy Sith's pet project, it's a strategic resource and will be getting full military support. This is, to put it mildly, not good. Cloaking technology will completely change the face of the war, and not in a direction she wants to pursue. She needs to lock this down.

...It may be time to push Darth Malgus over the edge. He's a war hero, led the attack on Coruscant. Impatient with the political infighting and anti-alien prejudice he sees as weakening the Empire. Private correspondence indicates he has slowly pieced together a faction that would support him in a coup against the Dark Council. If she gives him the opportunity to seize the cloaking tech, he'd likely capitalize on the tactical advantage to enact his rebellion. With the cloak, he'd be as much of a threat to the Republic, and both sides will turn on him. Lots of opportunity in the ensuing chaos to make sure of the factory that the Imperials are currently building is destroyed, the scientists involved are assassinated, and the plans are erased.

Yeah. That'll work.

Another early morning, another briefing.

Delivered by holo, this time.

Revan hasn't been getting a ton of sleep, lately. He's been too busy, and he's Force sensitive, he can run off of less sleep than ordinary people. What's another early morning.

Where's he going this time?

"The new mining operation on the north side. We're going to see if we can't set them back a little."

"'A little.' Give me some credit, now."

"They teach us pessimism at SIS Academy. I'll trust your reputation to get you out alive. We'll see about the rest."

"All right, fair enough. Anything you want me to coordinate my timing with, or just as soon as I can make it explode into pretty colors, do so?"

"This one's all you. I'll keep an eye on their communications and guide you as best I can."

"One explosion, coming right up. Anything else I should know?"

"If you could try a little subtlety on this one, my fragile information leaks would appreciate it."

"Fine, little explosions. Surgical ones. I will attempt discretion."

"Mission freq is 83.7-esk. See you on the battlefield."

"Yep."

Off he goes. Once he's out of the meeting room, he retrieves his comlink.

"Hey, HK. How's the west side holding?"

  "Answer: Oh, it's going wonderfully! The meatbags keep putting their fragile, liquid-filled head modules right where I can see them!"

Revan snorts. That'll mean that HK-47's still busy, and while the Republic has snipers, they don't have any other droid snipers. He is uniquely equipped to help, by way of thinking from a different direction and being something the enemy (and the enemy Force users) don't expect. So that's a no, for taking HK along with him on his adventure. He's better off where he is.

"Glad to hear it. Keep up the good work."

  "Acknowledgement: Thank you, I am pleased my talents are appreciated."

"I'll be away for a while, please make sure the defenses don't fall to pieces while I'm gone. Call in before you go on a proper assassination mission, but feel free to look for good openings. And of course if any Sith's fragile, liquid-filled head module happens to be where you can see it..."

  "Acknowledgement: I look forward to the chance with giddy anticipation!"

"That's the spirit. Revan out."

He puts his comlink away, and goes to get changed into more Sithy attire, then see about transportation.

A couple hours later, he's on a little nook overlooking the mining operation, peering at it through a pair of macrobinoculars.

"All right, Legate, I'm in position. Got a clever entrance for me or should I get creative?" he murmurs.

"Hundred meters west. Drop straight down, unobserved scaffolding. Door may or may not be locked."