INT. PURIFIER/SGW-0027’S CABIN
The clone captain is back at her desk, once again sitting in contemplation of the holographic statuette which burns before her in the gloom of her cabin.
As she leans forward to shut the hologram off, a low CHUCKLING begins behind her. Spinning her chair around, she jumps to her feet, sweeping up the hilt of her lightsaber and engaging the colourless blade in one smooth motion.
There, barely registering against the darkness surrounding it, is the black silhouette of a familiar figure.
SILHOUETTE: Salutations, Captain. You didn’t ever expect to see me again, did you?
SGW-0027: It can’t be!
Striding forward, the clone hefts up her saber, hoping to dispel any uncertainty regarding this vague figure’s identity. As the sterile light washes forth, though, nothing but the empty air is revealed.
SILHOUETTE: (O.C.) Over here.
Spinning around, the clone captain now finds the source of the silhouette standing by her desk; it is UIY-2249, unscathed and whole, characteristic distant smile worn on his green lips.
UIY-2249 (SILHOUETTE): I must give praise where praise is due; you did a masterful job faking my psychological breakdown and subsequent suicide run. The cyber-faked transmission and footage? The auto-operated shuttle? I didn’t know you had it in you – and I mean that quite literally; such technical skill isn’t routinely imprinted on Force-adepts.
Moving in upon the clone commander, SGW swings her white blade on a downward arc; instead of bisecting the Mirialan, it passes right through him, leaving no damage to flesh or cloth.
UIY-2249: Silly girl – what’s dead can’t be killed a second time.
SGW-0027: How is this possible?
UIY-2249: Perhaps I’m the spiritual essence of the departed UIY-2249, recalled from beyond the veil. (beat) Or more likely, I’m a figment of your fractured imagination.
SGW, not knowing how to deal with the phantasm’s revelation, just stands there. Bewilderment giving way to a lurking fear, she lowers her lightsaber but doesn’t disengage it.
SGW-0027: I can’t be going insane …
Smug as ever, UIY looks down upon the hologram of the Jedi.
UIY-2249: Don’t be too crestfallen. You can’t be blamed for having a defective aberration for a template.
At those words, the captain’s fear is immediately overwhelmed by anger. Bringing the point of her saber back up, she takes one menacing step towards her slain subordinate.
SGW-0027: (angry) Don’t you ever dare speak of her that way again!
UIY-2249: (cocks an eyebrow) Touched a most sensitive nerve, did I? (beat) Sentimentality’s an emotion I thought even you were rid of. She was just a gene donor.
The clone captain chooses not to remark on that comment.
SGW-0027: Why come to me now? What is it that you want?
UIY-2249: I’m here (grins) because you brought me here.
SGW-0027: Damn you and the mother who birthed you.
UIY-2249: It’s going to be a tad difficult accommodating that request, seeing as I never had a mother …
With those words spoken, UIY-2249 – be he phantom or figment – fades away, leaving SGW-0027 alone with her lightsaber burning bright against the darkness.