"That was pretty cool, though."

... He laughs, a little. "Thanks, I try."

"I guess we should report back."

"Yeah. Though I did introduce myself as Darth Revan and say that any Sith that had a problem with my order could come here and fight me over it, so. That's relevant, we might get a couple of Sith Lords eventually."

"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."