Chapter Two

Welcome to the Jungle

The rickety old bus stopped with a belch and a billow of smoke in front of the only operational Starport on Earth. One by one, people began to disembark, including one woman who looked out of place among the wide assortment of those she had traveled with. Rei clutched her one bag a bit tighter. Having grown up in the temple, she owned very little, and all that she owned fit into a very small canvas backback. As her foot touched the pavement, her body began to tense. She was definitely out of her element. All her training hadn't prepared her for this crush of humanity. Moving to the side, she let her eyes of liquid midnight take in the sights. Always aware of her surroundings, she was deluged with an overwhelming display of colors,smells, sights and amazed at the frantic pace everyone seemed to taking.

She waited a few moments before she began crossed the street and prepared to enter the starport. She had been told that her ticket would be waiting at the counter. Dressed only in a simple tunic and pants with slippered feet, she did feel a bit out of place. Her hair of jet was hanging in a single braid down her back and ended just above her waist. If her hair was loose it would end up just below her waist. Assuming a very aware state of her surroundings, she entered into the building and was trying to find her way to the counter when two men approached her. She slung her a strap of the backpack over her shoulder so her hands would be free.

The two men looked liked twins. Blond hair cut short with piercing blue eyes and both wearing matching suits and jackets. As they made their way towards her, she noticed that people seemed to move out of their way. Danger radiated out from them. She quickly assessed trying to see if she could sense any weaknesses on their parts. "Miss Tsung," one of the twins said. "I am Adam and this is David. We are to escourt you to Mars." He made to take her bag from her, but something told him that would be a wrong move.

"Escourt?" Until she was sure of what was going on, playing the country bumpkin might prove to be the best course of action at the moment.

"We have your ticket and passport, Miss Tsung," Adam continued on. "If you will follow us, we will be boarding in about an hour." Though Adam's face remained impassive and unable to be read, he couldn't see what Viscious wanted with with this woman. There had to be more sophisticated and more beautiful women on Mars, if all Viscious wanted was a plaything. Of course, he never dared question the orders he was given. Viscious wanted her delievered safely to him, was all that both he and David were aware of. "If you will follow us." He motioned with his arm in the direction of the lounge.

With a shrug, Rei nodded and began to head in that direction, and she wasn't surprised when each of them took up a position on either side of her. She felt as if she was being lead to the slaughter. She figured, from their bearing and dress, and how people moved out of their way, that they belong to some powerful crime family. Why else would one seek out the needs of her Order. There had to be something else though. It didn't make sense to her. Why make a public display on picking up someone who is susposed to slip in and slip out unnoticed. After being shown a booth where they would wait for their flight, she looked between Adam and David again. "Adam?" she questioned quietly. "What can you tell me about this assignment?"

Adam turned to looked at her, his face still unreadable. "I am afraid I don't know, Miss Tsung. Our orders are to escourt you safely to Mars." It was said in a tone that he wouldn't answer any more questions. So, they set in silence till their flight was called.

It seemed like very little time had passed till their flight was called. Flanked once again by Adam and David, they boarded the ship that was bound for Mars. Rei turned to go sit with the common passangers, but the stewardress instead showed the the three of them into a small cabin that remained to just themselves. She found a seat by the window, and as she had never left Earth, she was curious to what her karma was leading her.

The ship took off and she watched the planet become smaller and smaller as they entered the dark and beautiful expanse of space. Oh yes, she found this exciting, but her mind kept turning back to those final hours she spent with her grandfather. For the first time in her life, she had shed tears in his presence. She remembered his words and subconsciously rubbed at her right shoulder, where the Order's mark had been placed. She smiled soflty, more to herself than anything as she thought back to her early days in the temple. Rei had learned at an early age the Law of Death.

Her training had been rough, not only through the physical applications of the arts mystic attacks but the knowledge that she had had to learn before she could even be taught the many myriad of attacks to use. For three years she had studied the anatomy of the human body. She became familiar with the flow of blood, how the body's organs worked and perhaps, the most important to learn, the nervous system. After those three years, she had thought she would start learning Tien-Hsueh, but her grandfather had sent her away to another Master. One who schooled her in the deadly art of Snake Style Kung Fu. There her knowledge of the body was put to use. She learned how to cripple opponents with using pressure points and how to relieve the crippleness as well. For four years she studied, and then she was sent back to the temple.

As she progressed through each rank of the Tien-Hsueh, she saw many of her fellow students end up dying as a result of their failure to learn. She also learned the harsh reality of the Order if it's mandates were disobeyed. One such member had revealed one of the many secrets of the Order to a lover in a night of passion. She had been the one assigned to kill both him and his lover and bring back the bodies as proof. It was the first time she had killed, and it troubled her at first. She then realized that Death was always a part of every living thing. To accept that every living thing dies is to accept that life will always live on. To fear Death was to lose one's way and see nothing but oblivion.

The pilot's voice came over the loudspeaker announcing their arrival at Mars. Rei, snapped back to reality and realized her walking towers, as she started thinking of them, were still with her. "We shall be arriving within a few minutes, Miss Tsung," Adam said.

Once the ship docked, they exited the conveyance and if Rei had found herself staring in awe at the spaceport on Earth, what she saw on Mars really blew her mind away. What got to her the most, was the number of people that reminded her of the ants she had studied during her years at the temple. They moved at a determained pace, some fast and some slow, though they are all moving without running into each other. David urged Rei on with a push on her shoulder, the one still carrying the fresh mark of the Order. She glared over her shoulder at him, but took the hint and they continued on though the building to a waiting limo outside.

There they were met by a younger man, dressed like the twins escourting her. "Miss Tsung," the brown-haired man said in a rich voice. "My name is Shin and your new employer is waiting for you." He held the door open for her and after she slipped inside, Shin took the passenger seat in front and Adam and David joined Rei.

Rei had to admit, they all three were good-looking. She then chided herself for having such thoughts. She couldn't let distractions interfere. It could cost her the very life she held dear... but what if? She leaned back against the seat cusions, and the men wondered at the sly smile on her face.