Cronus stood and walked out of the office. He didn't want to be there for this next little passage. If the girl was anything like her mother, he wanted to be well out of the firing line.

Princess sat demurely on her chair. Her knees were pressed tightly against each other, and her hands were lightly cupped together atop her knees. Her head was lowered and breathing soft.

Anderson regarded her for a long 60 seconds before he finally spoke. His voice was controlled and low.

"Is it working?"

She hiccuped and raised her head to him. "What do you mean?"

"Your little game against Mark?"

Her head tilted in forced confusion. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head as he strolled to the front of his desk and leaned his rump against the edge. "You know, exactly, what I am talking about, Princess."

"No," she said with a fast shrug, "I don't."

"Then let me educate you." He removed his glasses and polished them with his handkerchief. "For the past month you have taken every opportunity to flirt with any male who happens to be in your presence whenever Mark is in the room. You cease your flirtations immediately after he leaves." He took a breath and raised his glasses to the light to make sure the lenses were free of dust. "You seem to constantly be conspiring with Jason…"

She coughed loudly to interrupt him. "If what you are assuming is true, what business is it of yours?"

He paused at her interruption, the clearing of his throat indicating the level of his annoyance.

Still, she continued. "Whatever I chose to do outside of team business is absolutely none of yours."

"When it encroaches onto my base, then it is every bit my business."

She let out a long huff. "Then, fine. I will remove myself from this compound and have my fun and games in the outside world where I am not being monitored by cameras and being spied upon."

Anderson wasn't wildly impressed by her response. "That's brattish, even for you."

She dipped her head to her shoulder and arrogantly rolled her eyes upward. "Whatever."

"I would appreciate it, also, if you would cease and desist from pretending to make a move on Colonel Cronus."

"Who says I'm pretending?"

Anderson was silent for a minute, his gaze harsh. "Just stop it."

She tilted her head and batted her lashes innocently. "But he's so handsome. And wouldn't you prefer that I date within the Federation, rather than pulling a Jason and taking Spectran spies?"

"I'm not amused, Princess."

"I'm not trying to be funny."

Anderson finally replaced his glasses and folded his arms across his chest. "Cease and desist immediately, or I'll have you on report for misconduct."

She leaned back into the chair slouched in an unladylike position. "Jealous?"

"Excuse me?"

She rose from the chair and slinked by him towards his jug of water to pour herself a drink. As she passed, she let a fingertip drag along his forearm. "Are you jealous that I'm more interested in Cronus than you?"

His eyes darkened.

"I mean, really," she poured a glass as she spoke, "it must be hard to be in constant competition with someone like him. Strong, handsome, rugged, manly, a true combat hero."

"Princess, that's just about enough," he snarled, low and dangerous. "This new attitude of yours isn't as sexy and adult as you like to think it is."

She shrugged and coyly bit on the rim of the plastic cup. "Some would argue that." The grin widened. "One or two already have."

He ignored the suggestion that she was less than innocent. "It's disgusting, and a complete detriment to the image of the Swan."

Her eyes widened and the cup was removed from between her teeth. "Which would only matter if I did it in birdstyle. Jesus, Chief. What is the real problem here? Surely it's not the shattered image of the Swan that's the concern here."

He rubbed at his chin. "Mind games are cruel, Princess. Your Commander doesn't deserve…"

"Oh, ho ho…wait just one minute," She quickly interrupted with her hands raised to stop him. "My Commander has been dragging me along, playing his little carrot-dangling games for five years. If he has so little thought or desire for me to do anything about it, then he deserves to see me have as much fun with whomever I want, whenever I want."

He humphed in disagreement.

So she continued. "If I want to enjoy men, and all there is to be a woman, then God Damn it, I'm going to."

"The Federation is not your playground."

"Oh, talk about your dual standards."

A single brow rose on his forehead. "Meaning?"

She began to pace. "Dual standards, you know. It's good for me, not for you. Do as I say, not as I do."

"I don't see where…"

"I mean, Hell. Jason is systematically sleeping his way through the compound in a competition with one of the Rigan Pilots. Mark has seen his way through one or two of the girls in the Hangars, Tiny is dating the girl from the cafeteria." She raised her eyes and glared at him. "But not me. No, anything Federation is completely off-limits to me." She let out a long snort of disapproval and raised her head level to his. "And here I was thinking sexual discrimination in this country was illegal."

"We're in International waters, Princess. There are no laws here."

Her eyes and mouth gaped at the response. "I … can't … believe you…this…God! You are all just a bunch of sexist pigs who want me to play your little naïve and innocent lapdog."

"I … we expect you to have respect for yourself and your team. Playing the team tramp by…"

"What did you just call me?"

Anderson paused. There was venom in her voice he'd never, ever heard before. He thought back to what he'd said and honestly couldn't quite remember what just spewed out of his mouth. "Uh?"

She was livid. "Who in the HELL do you think you are!"

For the first time since he'd known her, Anderson began to see just how frightening she could be. Her form almost seemed to double in size as she stood tall and raised her head and shoulders to glare down her nose at him. He gave a minute tilt of the head. "I am your Superior Officer, Princess."

"Superior, yeah, right. More like sanctimonious, self-right…"

His fist hit the desk, hard. "Enough!"

She jumped at the sound, her body recoiling and shrinking. "But…"

"This behaviour, your little games, your inappropriate conduct around Federation staff with stop now."

She shakily folded her arms and tried her absolute darndest not to look as embarrassed and small as she felt. "So am I also to assume you will be pulling Mark, Jason and Tiny in to your office for the same discussion?"

"No."

"What! That is NOT fair!"

"Life isn't fair, Princess."

"Not in a world run by male chauvinist pigs, anyway."

Anderson let out a long breath, then pulled himself off the desk and approached her. He lifted his hand to place it reassuringly on her shoulder, but snapped it back as she recoiled hard away from him. "Princess, it's for your safety that I make these rules."

"Funny," she huffed as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Jason is the one who seems to pick the Spectran bed-partners, yet I am the one you're stifling here."

"It's for your own good. Jason is more than capable of handling himself." He sighed, "and anyway. It's better for you to be careful and chose your partner carefully."

He gave a short laugh. "Just because my name shares an adoption certificate with yours, doesn't mean you can pull the protective Daddy act on me. You aren't my father, and have no right to pretend to be." She stood with her hip slouched to one side. "If the boys can play, so can I."

"Princess …"

"And if I want to go off chasing Rigan pilots and their Colonel, then sobeit."

That long-suffering sigh blew slowly out of his mouth. "Cronus is definitely off-limits. Take one of his pilots if you HAVE to…" he paused only briefly when he saw a twitch of a smile play on her lips and she lightly mouthed something along the lines of 'been there, done that'. He tried to ignore it. "Although I'd caution against it, but leave HIM alone."

"Why not Cronus?" Anger was slowly being replaced by curiosity. "I read his lips when you two were sparring, I saw him say he was interested."

"Because I said so."

"That's not a valid reason."

"Yes, it is," he responded with mild irritation. "It is reason enough for this conversation."

"I'm not satisfied with that."

"Tough."

"God, you are so full of it," she snapped. "You can't just order me not to indulge in something on my personal time without giving me a reason why not."

"Yes I can."

She shook her head. "No, you can't. There is no written policy regarding intra-federation relationships – unlike the code you had draw up for the G-Force team – so, if I chose to romance Cronus, the guy in the garage or even President-fucking-Kane, there is sweet F.A. you can do about it."

"You want to challenge me on that?"

"Damn straight."

"Fine." He hissed, as he grabbed the phone and dialled 7-Zark-7's extension. "You're grounded. You aren't to leave this base for any reason for two weeks." He spoke in to the phone and informed the robot of the situation. Then he turned to a wide-eyed Princess. "If you're still on this little vendetta of yours after that time, I will extend it again, and then again, until you grow up."

"That's … just … wrongful detention. You can't do that."

He smirked, "I can and I have."

She was silent for a moment, formulating a desperate apology. Then, she paused and looked up at him when she realized just how much more opportunity this would give her for a good snooping. "Well," she began slowly. "If you are so willing to send in the team one man short for their next mission, then that's fine by me. I could do with the break."

Anderson's brow rose, very slowly. Oh she was plotting again – heaven help him. "Then … this conversation is over."

She nodded. "I guess so."

Anderson's voice was slow and a little cautious. "Then, if there's nothing further."

"Dismissed?"

He nodded, "dismissed."

She gave him an exaggerated G-Force salute and turned on her heel.

He watched her leave and felt a sudden feeling of dread. She was up to something.