I get something like this. It doesn't last half a minute as you say, more like 5-10 seconds, for me at least. It does seem to be pointed at stim boost though. I even physically click an ability and it doesn't work. GCD goes off but nothing happens. This is right after using a stim boost usually but I'm not 100% sure on that. Even trying to mount doesn't work sometimes, so it's not just regular abilities.
Strange.
Or you know, ignore the whiny tw@t and play how you want to play, and not become a tool for your "side-kick."
It's so easy to raise affection, don't worry about conversation stuff.
We have enough tricks and duties in Huttball that don't rely on herpderping enemy players. Granted, an assassin can do some of that and probably be better at it too, but they can't root, heal, or dispel.
Assassin has a cloak of shadows:
http://www.torhead.com/ability/3qAwuaY/force-shroud
And Operatives have a dispel but only dispels tech stuff not force dots, so yes your poisons can be cleansed by both classes before a vanish.