On the admitted fuzzy continuum between what exactly is 'hard' or 'soft' sci-fi, I think secret clone duplicates and cloaking devices are a little on the 'hard' side for Star Wars. Ideas like clone-rights, or battling your own clone feels thematcially off. I'm more partial to cloaking devices, as long as the technology of cloaking isn't one of the principal plot points. Inivisble ships suddenly appearing might be cool.

I'm also not in love with with Zahn trilogy. Insane clones, Luuke Skywalker, and Thrawn, a character so awesome he keeps the heroes from ever doing anything particuarly cool. I don't see why we'd want to be bound by anything in it.

I like the clonetroopers in the PT because really, the issue of them being clones is fairly unimportant. What's important was that they were an army from nowhere. I like the idea that in the NPT, whoever the enemy is (Mandalorians? Pirates?) they have clone shocktroopers.