Anakin rushed through the halls of the Jedi Temple. His one goal was to reach the briefing room before Obi-wan became too angry with him. Just before he reached his goal, he found that his padawan stood waiting outside the door. She looked over at him and her face instantly lit up.
"Where have you been? I looked all over the temple for you. Master Obi-wan is not pleased."
Anakin smiled. "I'm sure he is fuming." He said as he walked into the briefing room, Ahsoka following at his heels.
Obi-wan watched the pair walk towards him as if nothing were wrong. "I'm sure this is amusing to you Anakin, but if it is not too much trouble, the council is sending you on another mission."
"Where to this time." Anakin said, intrigued by the thought of a new adventure.
Obi-wan rolled his eyes. He never much liked how excited Anakin got over new missions. New missions meant that what the Jedi stood for had not come to past; that there still was no peace in the galaxy. Anakin just viewed it as a way to keep himself busy. Sometimes he wondered how peace times would treat his former padawan. "Mandalore." Obi-wan replied. "It seems that the neutral planet is having some trouble with a separatist blockade."
Anakin pulled up a view of the planet on the control console in the middle of the room. A holographic image of Mandalore could be seen, with a blockade of trade federation ships within the orbit.
Obi-wan continued. "It seems the trade federation has decided once again to block trade routes from yet another planet. The people of Mandalore are starving, and the republic has lost substantial arms trade with the planet."
"And we are to destroy the blockade?" Ahsoka asked, confused by the politics of the situation.
"Not necessarily." Obi-wan answered. "Mandalore is a neutral planet, and thus refusing any help from either separatist or republic forces. While the Jedi are their own entity, it is pretty clear that by our interference the republic would gain advantages from the destruction of the blockade."
"Please tell me you are not going to ask us to negotiate." Anakin said, worried for the answer. "You know where that gets us, locked up and sent to our deaths in most of the situations you get us into."
Obi-wan did not look amused. "Seeing as you are usually the one to get us into situations, I'm going to ignore your past comment. But yes, this is a negotiation mission."
Both Anakin and Ahsoka sighed heavily.
"I did not say that you two would be doing the negotiations." Obi-wan pointed out.
"Then who is?" Anakin asked.
"A senator who has dealt with a very similar situation on her home-world."
"Padme." Anakin guessed.
Obi-wan nodded. "She has requested that you accompany her as her protector. She is a friend to the Dutchess of Mandalore, and with her political past, she may be able to convince the Duchess for Republic involvement."
"Sounds fun enough, but how do you propose we get past the blockade of Trade Federation ships?" Anakin asked.
"I thought I would leave that part up to you, Anakin. Did you want me to take all the fun out of the mission?"
"Do you have a plan, master?" Ahsoka asked, eyeing the holographic ships.
"Of course I do, Snips." He said coolly.
Ahsoka's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Anakin's pet name for her. She always adored the fact that he cared enough to have a term of endearment for her.
Anakin turned to leave the briefing room before he was caught by Obi-wan. "Hold on there, I will be accompanying you two as well. The Duchess and I go way back, and if Senator Amidala can't persuade her than perhaps I can."
"With what? Your beard and charming sense of humor?" Anakin said sarcastically.
"Yes, well at least my beard and humor will get me farther than your skills with a lightsaber." Obi-wan blurted out.
"My skills have gotten us out of more situations than your skills at negotiating." Anakin continued to tease.
"I beg to differ."
"Boys." Ahsoka interrupted. "The mission?" She always loved the bickering between the two. They were definitely like bickering brothers who had spent too much time in the same room together. But it was Anakin's quick tongue that really amused her. While his mouth usually got them into some sort of trouble, it often was still very humorous.
"Right." Obi-wan said, realizing that there was much preparation to be made if they were going to set a course for Mandalore by the end of the galactic standard day.
"See you on the ship." Anakin said as he made his way for the door.
"Don't be late." Obi-wan called after him.