Disclaimer: I wish I owned star wars but I don't and I guess I'll have to live with that.

Rex heaved a sigh and shook his head in disagreement. And upon seeing his reaction, the young padawan's large blue eyes silently begged him not to say what she knew he was going to say anyways. "It's red." He announced, instantly noticing how Ahsoka's shoulders slumped in disappointment as her master, in tandem, gave a frustrated sigh and left his post by the threshold to pace the length of the star cruiser's common room.

Anakin had deemed it time for Ahsoka to lean and hone the skills of the Jedi mind trick early that morning and had asked Rex to help him in his lesson. It was not as if Rex could refuse the general even if he knew what he was to be in for. And that was an entire afternoon of the young Togruta attempting to convince the clone that a certain red chair in the room was, in fact, blue. The captain was quite surprised how long it was taking Ahsoka to catch the concept of the Jedi mind trick for she was adept with a lightsaber, a good hand in the cockpit and could use the force to move all sorts of objects. Master and padawan were also surprised at her difficulty and, being practically identical in temperament, were beginning to show their frustration.

"When we land, that chair is going straight into the first scrap heap I can find!" Ahsoka announced, her hand cupping her forehead as she muttered in her own language.

"A Jedi has no need for hate, my young padawan, especially to a chair." Anakin responded with his back to Ahsoka and Rex. His hands were clasped behind his back as he made his pilgrimage across the length of the room. Although such a comment was an odd form of endearment for the general to utter to his apprentice, it could not hide Anakin's growing impatience. Abruptly he turned on his heel to pace the length of the room again. He heaved a frustrated sigh before instructing, "Try it again, Snips."

Ahsoka closed her eyes obediently in concentration, pushing can'ts and nevers out of her mind. She would not get results if negative thoughts took over her mind. Rex shifted his weight, noting how the atmosphere of the room was as tense as it would have been in the heat of battle. The clone had half a mind to give into the Togruta and announce that the chair was blue-even if it was red. But of course there was no use to lie to Jedi. Ahsoka turned her gaze to Rex, ready to begin again as Obi-Wan casually joined General Skywalker at the threshold.

"Anakin, I hope the lesson is going well." Obi-Wan greeted in his easy manner and received a flat look from his former student that told him silently that no, it wasn't going well in the slightest. Obi-Wan's brow knitted in troubled thoughts and the serene look he had before grew clouded. He turned his back to Ahsoka and Rex, not wanting to let any nay-saying hurt performance. When he spoke to Anakin, his voice held hushed and quiet tones. "She will not be ready to accompany us on the mission?" He stated more than questioned, earning and uncomfortable shift in weight from Anakin as a response.

From inside the room, Rex's firm reply of 'It's red.' Sounded, giving Obi-Wan his answer.

Anakin shook his head and replied replicating his old master's quiet tone. "We've been at it for hours, Master. I'm sure the Council would feel better sending three to the Xenphos."

"Sending one who is not versed in Jedi mind tricks to help negotiate with an Anzat?" the older Jedi responded with a flat 'have you lost your mind' tone.

Anakin opened his mouth to rebuttal but was cut off by Ahsoka's rather loud conversation with Rex. "How do know that the chair is red, Rex?" she questioned, one hand on her hip, the other gesturing to the chair and her face set in a determined frown. She was going to get him to admit it was blue one way or the other. "What makes it red?"

The soldier drew himself to his full height and answered bluntly, "It is red because I say it is."

At his response white markings above her eyes rose in surprise at the captain's forwardness. "Oh," she began animatedly, "But perhaps I come in and say the chair is blue because I say it is. And Skyguy says that it's green but Master Kenobi insists that the chair is…." She paused, wracking her brain for another color while throwing her hands out for effect. "…I don't know…chartreuse! Who, then, is right?"

"I am."

"Ah," she rebuttaled, raising her finger, oblivious to her master's frustrated sigh and set jaw as well as Obi-Wan's amused smirk. "But can you really give a definition for the color red?" She pressed, "Perhaps we all see the same color but call it by a different name be it red or blue or-"

"Snips!" Anakin cut in sharply with his hand to his forehead in a vain attempt to keep his growing headache at bay. His interjection made the girl turn to face him and Anakin received a thankful nod from Rex. "This is not a lesson on philosophy."

"You told me to convince Rex that the chair isn't red!" The student accused, taking his instructions to the literal sense to make her outburst sound constructive.

The master's blue eyes regarded his apprentice with a flat, chiding glance. "I was quite clear to say convince him with the Force. Or does your contempt for red furniture cloud your hearing, my padawan?"

Ahsoka pursed her lips and crossed her arms in response. She was, after all, just as-if not more- frustrated as he. She opened her mouth to give a reply but Obi-Wan cut her off, striding swiftly to stand between the two. Ever the peacemaker between the two when he was assigned missions with them, the older Jedi spoke from the experience of teaching a padawan with the same contempt for Jedi mind tricks as Ahsoka. "Perhaps you would work better after a fifteen minute break?"

"Master, there is no time for any length of break." Skywalker interjected in a pointed tone. "We land on Xenphos in less than fourteen hours and she has so much more to learn by then."

"Perhaps you should not have put off this lesson for so long?" Obi-Wan reminded with a wry grin.

"Why exactly do I have to master Jedi mind tricks by the rendezvous, anyway? We're just going to Xenphos to negotiate with this 'Lord' Dirian-guy to shift from a neutral body to the Republic's ally so we can set up another base closer to the action." Ahsoka piped up sounding genuinely confused as to her Master's urgency. "Just like we did with Jabba on Tatoine, minus a kidnapped huttlet."

"You didn't give her all the details, Anakin? Really?" General Kenobi asked in disbelief, turning to face his old padawan. From behind the older Jedi's back Rex gave a long, silent whistle. Things were getting a little too complicated for "a quick simple lesson on mind tricks". After Anakin tiredly assured Obi-Wan that he had his reasons, the older Jedi turned to Ahsoka and began to explain.

"I'm afraid it's a little more complicated, Ahsoka." He began diplomatically, "You see this Dirian fellow is not quite as harmless as you expect. He's an Anzat- a quite older one and decidedly quite insane as is typical for older Anzati…"

As he explained, Ahsoka nodded in understanding, flopping in the chair that she swore to scrap, her knuckles against her lips as she thought. She had once read about the 'Snot Vampires', as they were called, when she had nothing better to do than browse through the archives. They were a long living race that fed off of other's brains. She recalled with a shiver how some could even prey on Jedi, using their telepathy to turn the Jedis' mind tricks on them.

Anyone who was not versed enough to know if the tricks were being turned against her could be easily deceived by the Anzati to do goodness knew what. She nodded to herself in realization that that was why the council did not want the clone units to get involved unless Dirian had refused the Republic and sided with the Sepratists. "I would be a liability if I do not get this lesson." She summed in realization.

"Which is why you have to get a decent grip on this, Ahsoka." Anakin piped up gravely, "The Council feels that the more we have in numbers during the negotiation, the safer we'll be. After the disappearance of Master Ilen and his padawan about a year or so ago on Xenphos, the Council doesn't want to take any chances. Especially with an alliance with Dirian is up in the air."

Obi-Wan nodded and with a brisk manner clapped his hands before concluding, "So, we'll break for fifteen minutes and when we resume, I'll give you a demonstration. I'm sure with Anakin and myself both on your case; you'll develop a good feel for it." Ahsoka's mouth formed a frustrated straight line that mirrored her Master's. It was clear that both master and padawan held a healthy dislike for the mind trick, much to General Kenobi's quiet amusement. Reassuringly, the older Jedi placed his hand on the padawan's shoulder before saying with a hint of a grin, "No pressure."

A/n: Here is chapter 1! I hope I got the knitty gritty details correct. I have to say I am pleased with this. I adore the master-padawan relationship between Anakin and Ahoka and found it amusing to write a scene where he actively instructs. Any way, please review and tell me what you think!