Cloaked (Drama). 1.03 "A Fistful of Fu"

[catarya]

	Actor, IMDB Pool Score	Adam Baldwin 95	Liv Tyler 27	Jet Li 41	Julian Sands 93	Rupert Everett 56	Holland Taylor 99
	Character	Fenris, the hero	Skye, the heroine	Wu, the wise one	Volier, the villain	The Un-named Man	Margaret, the aunt
	Age Bonus	48, Male Adult, 0	34, Female Adult, 0	47, Male Adult, 0	58, Male Elder, +20	50, Male Elder, +20	67, Female Elder, +20	Weekly   Total
	Week 3: A Fistful of Fu	23	10	14	19	63	-17	583

Cloaked (Drama). 1.03 "A Fistful of Fu"

Previously on "Cloaked": Wu telling Skye & Fenris the sword is special, Skye refusing to give the sword to Fenris, believing it's a message from her brother, Fenris being offered serious money for to get the sword for Volier, Skye deciding that the best way to keep the sword safe is to go out in the open in the Regency underworld.

Opening scene: in the backroom of Wu's (Jet Li) import shop, he offers a job to Fenris and Skye. Handing over a box of wriggling, yapping pekingese puppies, he requests they deliver the dogs to the Chinese ambassador at the Prince Regent's Royal Pavilion in Brighton. Wu explains that these are special "Fu" dogs - mystical protectors of the royal palaces of China. Skye is enchanted with the tiny dogs. Fenris agrees only to keep an eye on her, for safety reasons.

Introductory credits and character montage with Voice over: Try this for a deep, dark secret. My name is Lady Skye St. Vir. I'm an Earl's daughter, an heiress in my own right and a member of London's ton. I'm also a mercenary. It's a dangerous game I'm playing, but I've got a big bad wolf by my side, and this Red Riding Hood is going to stay cloaked.

Scene opens with Volier in a dark, but richly decorated room. Volier (Julian Sands) is telling someone about Skye and Fenris delivering the dogs. He's sure they will have the sword with them, as they have been flaunting it all over the underground, and he wants to use force to get it. Cut to his companion, slightly in shadow (Rupert Everett). The man denies Volier's request. He knows Fenris well. He wants Fenris to suffer the indecision of dangling the offer of the money in front of him a little while longer. However, he is not adverse to Volier toying with them, as he so loves to see what Fenris can do in a fight. He warns Volier to be careful, Fenris may appear not so bright, but he's cunning in a fight.

Skye and Fenris are on the road from London to Brighton. Fenris is on horseback, but Skye is driving a small horse-drawn open gig. The puppies are in a closed basket beside her. Suddenly, the puppies start barking. They jump out of the basket and onto Skye, making her lose control of her vehicle. Fenris grabs control of the reigns and brings the gig to a halt. The puppies jump all over Skye, growling and barking. Fenris tries to move the puppies, but as soon as he moves one, another takes it's place. Skye manages to stand up when all the puppies grow still, stand in front of her and growl. It looks like they are growling at Fenris, until two men come racing up on horses. They sword fight, Fenris trying to hold off both, Skye with her sword drawn, but not sure how to use it and the puppies surrounding her growling.

The sound of thundering hoves pauses the fighting for a moment. From the other direction, a large, bald man (Christopher Judge) in bright blue chinese robes races down toward the group, a sword held high and ready to swing in his arm. No one is sure what he is going to do until he swipes at the two men. They run off, one of them yelling to Fenris, "You can take the easy way or the hard way, Lyall, but that sword will be ours."

The man introduces himself as "Lao Te," a bodyguard working for the Chinese ambassador at the Royal Pavilion. He's been sent to ensure the dogs arrive safely. He offhandedly orders Fenris to get the puppies rounded up and then turns his attention to Skye. He is extremely interested in her sword, calling it "The Sword of the People" and asking her how it came to be in her possession. She starts to talk about her brother, but Fenris shakes his head at her. Lao Te announces he will accompany them the rest of their journey. 

The rest of the journey is uneventful, except for the fact that Skye asks Fenris what that man meant by his departing comment. Fenris tells her of Volier's offer to him. Skye is very upset that Fenris didn't turn it down right away.

They arrive at the Royal Pavilion and are greeted by the Chinese ambassador (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa). He takes the basket with the puppies from Skye, though she does not like the man. He invites them to stay the night, but Skye declines quickly. She and Fenris go to a local inn. Alone in her room, Skye discovers one of the puppies in her pocket. She decides to keep it, confiding to the puppy she has named "MeiMei" that the dog is the only one she can trust.

Next Week's episode: "Enter the Ambassador." Skye and Fenris are accused of stealing a rare artifact from the Royal Pavilion.