Junkyard Dog Collection 2 Books 4-6: Junkyard Dog Series

By Charley Marsh

Novellas four, five, and six of the Junkyard Dog series now available in a new collection.

RUBY CITY

Ruby City hides secrets thousands of years old. None worth dying for. One worth killing for.

 

Major Rita King takes her newest crew member to visit the famed Ruby City, a city constructed entirely of red crystal ruled by a Snakeman. Once inside the city gates, they find far more than Rita bargained for. Fantastic fables based on truth and a prisoner held for human sacrifice. Can Rita change the course of Ruby City's history?

 

Book Four of the Junkyard Dog series, Ruby City once again calls on Rita King's brains and courage in an unexpected and richly detailed world.

DOUBLE CROSS

Sometimes even the simplest of tasks can go wrong.

 

Important banking business takes space pilot Rita King and her two companions to the galaxy's Central Bank on ZetiTau, an efficient, strictly controlled planet.

Customers show up. Conduct their business in an orderly manner. Spend a few credits and leave. Exactly the way banking should be conducted. Too bad not everyone follows the rules. 

 

Double Cross takes Rita and her friends deep into the strange heart of ZetiTau banking where few have ventured before.

SPIDER SILK

Spider silk. Lighter than air. Indestructible. No wonder Rita King wears spider silk skinsuits and wants them for her crew.

 

To get them Rita must give in to the Spider Woman's unusual demand. "Come to Kwaku."

 

Kwaku. Home of the mysterious Spider Woman. Home to the giant silk spiders. Never before visited by an outsider. Why the invite now?

 

Spider Silk, Book Six of the Junkyard Dog series, takes Rita King and her companions into the bizarre and deadly world of spider silk.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charley Marsh
• Release date: May 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781945856587

Charley Marsh

In her younger days Charley Marsh’s curiosity drove her to climb mountains, canoe rivers, and explore caves and wilderness areas from Maine to California. She's been shot at, caught in a desert flash flood, and almost drowned off the Maine coast. Once she tobogganed down a 5,000+ foot mountain.  Life is always an adventure if you have the right attitude. Charley never set out to be a storyteller, but looking back on the elaborate lies she made up as a troubled teen she can see that she always had the makings. Now, in the immortal words of Lawrence Block, she happily “makes up lies for fun and profit.” If you would like information regarding Charley’s new releases or simply want to contact Charley visit: https://charleymarshbooks.com/

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Junkyard Dog Collection 2

Junkyard Dog Collection 2

Books 4-6

Charley Marsh

Timberdoodle Press

JUNKYARD DOG COLLECTION BOOKS 4-6

Copyright © 2019 by CHARLEY MARSH

The characters, incidents, and places in this collection are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For more information contact: timberdoodlepress.com

All rights reserved.

Published 2019 in the United States of America by Timberdoodle Press.

Cover art courtesy depositphoto.com

Publisher Logo by Peter Corbin

ISBN# 978-1-945856-58-7

Print ISBN# 978-1-945856-60-0

Contents

Ruby City

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Double Cross

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Spider Silk

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Also by Charley Marsh

About the Author

Ruby City

RUBY CITY

Copyright © 2017 by CHARLEY MARSH

Ruby City is a work of fiction. The characters,

incidents, and places are the product of the author’s

imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance

to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is

entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For more information contact: timberdoodlepress.com

All rights reserved.

Published 2018 in the United States of America by Timberdoodle Press.

Cover art courtesy depositphoto.com

Publisher Logo Peter Corbin

ISBN# 978-1-945856-23-5

Print ISBN# 978-1-945856-22-8

1

Margarita King stood in the clear nose-cone of her ship, The Junkyard Dog, and eyed the rapidly nearing planet named Fagan II with a mixture of interest and dread.

Would she run into any members of her old crew here? And if she did, would they recognize her? According to Kincaid, a rogue Red Baron she had met on the planet Weegan, the Red Barons had held a ceremony honoring Rita after her presumed death.

It was imperative that they continue to believe her dead, at least for the time being. At least until she figured out who had tried to kill her and destroy her ship.

Rita’s black hair, usually worn ultra-short and spiky, had grown over the last few months. It now lay in a soft, thick cap around her narrow face framing her long, whiskey-colored eyes and strong, straight nose.

Soon she would have to wake the others, but for now she would enjoy the quiet. She turned away from the approaching planet, stretched upward, then bent to place her palms flat on the deck. The muscles of her six foot two frame protested at first, but quickly regained their flexibility.

Rita had years of dance and martial arts studies to thank for her athleticism and grace. Her mother had insisted on the dance, and Rita had continued the studies even after her mother’s untimely death.

Her father had suggested the martial arts during one of their frequent trips to Old Earth. An archaeologist specializing in Old Earth history, he preferred to dig alone and often left Rita with others after her mother died.

This time he had left her at a private dojo while he conducted a nearby dig. Although at the time she had resented being dumped, by the time her father returned Rita had been hooked on the ancient discipline.

She moved smoothly into the familiar dance of precise moves until she felt centered and at peace.

Putting space travelers to sleep for the twisted journey through the fabric of space/time had become standard procedure once man ventured beyond Earth’s solar system. Considered a safe alternative to the unusual effects warp travel had on the human body, the Time-Eze drug had the added benefit of slowing the metabolic processes in the human body, thus stretching the life span.

Unfortunately muscles had a tendency to weaken when unused, so Rita always worked out as soon as she awoke.

She finished her routine, showered, and pulled on her dull brown spider silk suit. Stronger than steel yet weighing next to nothing, the suit protected her body from anything short of a fusion bomb.

And it could possibly withstand that, Rita mused as she pulled on her calf-length boots made from an impenetrable blend of sharkskin and kevlar, but she had no wish to test it.

She strode half the length of the long, narrow cabin and stopped beside a section of shallow berths. The interior of the Dog was designed after the Old Earth sailing ships from the ancient world. Every nook and cranny had been put to use, not a cubic millimeter wasted.

She hit the control cleverly designed as a knothole and a door slid open soundlessly. Two occupants slept in the lower berth. Darwin, a rare, telepathic shadow-creature, had joined Rita when her ship had been sabotaged and she’d been forced to crash land on an uninhabited planet. While she had saved him from certain death at the time, he had repaid the favor more than once since.

Rita ran her hand over the gray, wiry fur that covered Darwin’s thick, chunky dog’s body. She smiled at the gem-studded ivory collar that had been a gift from his bunkmate.

Pressing Darwin’s chest between his front legs gently, she waited for his heart rate to increase. Within moments round amber eyes popped open in his triangular face, a face that reminded her of the giant cats on Old Earth—a lion, or a tiger perhaps.

Hello, Darwin.

Hello, Ree. Lexa?

She’s next. Not to worry.

Rita turned her attention to the small, blue-skinned Weegan lying next to Darwin. Lexa’s presence had been unplanned, but Rita hadn’t been able to refuse the young woman when Lexa had begged Rita to take her with her.

A female blue-skin living in a village of greens, Lexa had never felt entirely comfortable, even though she knew her family loved her. On the planet Weegan, skin color was determined by birth location: those living in the jungle had green skin, those in the desert had orange, and those next to the water were blue. They lived their entire lives with their close-knit families in the villages of their birth.

It had been Lexa’s bad luck to be born next to the water while her parents traveled.

The cheerful Weegans were diagnostic specialists. Small in stature, (Lexa’s head barely reached the top of Rita’s thigh), with long, slim fingers and toes, they could squeeze their bodies into unbelievably small spaces and fix anything mechanical.

Having a Weegan onboard a ship was unheard of—they were fierce homebodies and never left their planet. They had a lucrative business with ships from the entire galaxy coming to them for repairs.

The first of their people to travel into space, Lexa was writing new history.

And now she was Rita’s responsibility. Rita prayed she hadn’t made a mistake by agreeing to take the young female on board the Dog. She ran her hand gently down Lexa’s arm.

Lexa’s amber eyes opened. Confusion showed in them until she spied Darwin.

Darwin! Lexa pulled the shadow-creature in for a hug, then sat up. Are we there yet? Are we?

Almost. Rita smiled at Lexa’s enthusiasm. She had been foolish to worry that Lexa would feel homesick. Her young ward had taken to space travel as if she’d been born to it.

The pair scrambled out of their bunk and ran to the ship’s nose to watch the approaching planet.

What’s Fagan II like? Lexa asked, her flat nose pressed to the clear Kristal window.

Why don’t we wake Slade and ask him? Rita suggested. She walked back to the still closed bunk that held her guest, a Special Independent Agent trying to track down a stolen ship full of trobium.

Trobium, the most valuable element in the galaxy, had nearly cost Rita her life recently—twice.

She hit the button to the left of the bunk and it slid open. Moments later Slade’s green-gold eyes opened and focused on her.

We there? His deep, smooth voice rumbled as he sat up and quickly tied back his shoulder length black hair with a leather thong.

Just about. Lexa wants to know about Fagan II. I thought you could tell us what you know while we all have something to eat.

Sounds good to me. I’m famished. Slade stood next to Rita. He was taller than her by four inches, broad-shouldered, handsome in a rogue, bad boy way that made her pulse quicken.

And judging by the wink he gave her, he knew it.

She scowled and moved away and focused on putting a meal together. Fortunately they all liked to eat the same stuff. She programmed the Redi-Meal for breakfast and pulled the tabletop from its slot in the wall.

Within minutes they sat together chowing down on omelettes and pickled fish, an item Lexa’s mother had insisted Rita stock for her daughter.

Darwin ate from his dish on the deck. While Rita knew he preferred his fish fried, he ate the pickled variety without complaint.

So, tell us about Fagan II, Rita prompted when they had eaten enough to take the edge off.

Lexa’s bright eyes focused on Slade. Is it as pretty as Weegan? she asked.

No planet is as pretty as Weegan, Lexa. You had the good fortune to be born on the most colorful planet in the galaxy.

Lexa beamed at Slade. She might not have felt like she belonged there, but she loved her home planet, Rita knew.

Fagan II isn’t what I call a pretty planet, but it has some interesting areas, Slade continued. Not where I’m going though. Bugsy is a city full of mercenaries, cutthroats, and wheeler-dealers. You should avoid it. It’s not a nice place and it’s easy to find trouble there.

Then why are you going? Lexa asked. She finished her meal and patted her lap. Darwin leaped into it and curled into a ball.

Rita eyed the two as Lexa stroked Darwin’s fur while she waited for Slade to answer her question. Rita was glad to see that Darwin had taken to Lexa. Having a friend made the young Weegan’s life less lonely.

My ship is berthed there, or I wouldn’t go back to Bugsy, Slade explained. I’m chasing some bad guys and I need my ship.

Lexa’s eyes rounded. Are those the same bad guys who tried to blow up Weegan?

Slade nodded. Yes. Now I need to follow them again because I couldn’t stop them before. But that’s not your concern. I think that while you are on Fagan II Rita should take you to visit the Ruby City. It’s very beautiful and located on a different continent from Bugsy.

Is it safe? Rita asked. Does the Ruby City welcome strangers? The last thing she wanted to do was expose Lexa to danger. Sooner or later they would run into a dangerous situation—that was a given with space travel—but she’d like to avoid trouble until Lexa grew more used to her new life.

Tourism is their main business, Slade assured her. They’ll welcome you with open arms.

2

Ruby City. The name was an obvious one. Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains of red sandstone iced with layers of white limestone, the buildings gleamed like red jewels in the sun.

After breakfast they had dropped Slade off without incident and circled the planet to the continent Typhren. Rita had located a secure berth for her ship and now the three travelers stood in front of the entrance gate to the famed Ruby City.

Seemingly carved from a single stone, the ruby-colored arched gate soared over their heads. A multitude of carvings winked and gleamed on its surface in the sunlight, making the gate pulse with motion as they drew closer.

Beyond the gate stretched a collection of towers, spires, and buildings, all completely surrounded by a tall crenellated wall that circled the city. Everything was constructed from the same, translucent red stone.

Before they could step through the gate, a tall, thin, creature, more wraith than solid form, held out a long arm and spoke to them.

Darwin, do you understand what it wants? Rita asked.

No. I cannot access the sentry’s thoughts. It is . . . blank.

Well, Slade neglected to tell us we’d need a translator to enter the city. Any suggestions?

My sensors tell me you speak Anglish, the wraith said. Very good. I am programmed for Anglish along with thousands of other language bytes.

I think the sentry is a computer, Rita, Lexa said. That’s why Darwin doesn’t pick up any thoughts.

She reached out a hand to touch the creature but her hand passed right through it. It must be inside the gate and it projects this holographic image when visitors approach. That’s ice.

Rita smiled at Lexa’s enthusiasm and addressed the wraith. We would like to visit your beautiful city. May we enter?

Please identify yourselves for the log.

Margarita King, Darwin, and Lexa. Rita had a momentary doubt about giving her real name. Should she be thinking about using an alias until she identified the person, or persons, who wanted her dead?

She set the question aside for now. It was too late to do anything as she had already given her name, but she needed to consider the wisdom of using an alias in the future.

Margarita King, Darwin, Lexa. You may enter the Ruby City. Please obey our laws and harm nothing. Check out here when you leave.

The wraith faded away and the three walked under the gate.

Well, where to first, Lexa? asked Rita. She had decided to let her young ward take the lead on this trip as it was her first exposure to an alien society. If Lexa led Rita wouldn’t risk pushing Lexa beyond her comfort zone.

Lexa turned a small circle. Let’s follow the ruby road, she said, pointing to where the red sandstone path that lay at the bottom of the city wall gave way to the same red substance that made up the city’s buildings.

Darwin jumped to his favorite perch on Rita’s shoulder. She smiled down at Lexa as she felt the Weegan’s long fingers grasp her hand. Okay, let’s see what this place is about, she agreed.

They stepped onto the smooth, red path. It took them between two square, plain buildings, their red facades smooth and devoid of any features, before turning a corner.

The trio came to an abrupt stop. Before them lay a large, open square filled with rows of small, ruby-colored booths, their fronts draped with colorful cloths. Each booth was filled with wares of every variety. Rita spied food, weapons, tools, and clothing—and many unidentifiable items.

What is it? Lexa asked, whipping her head around, wide-eyed, as creatures of every size and shape imaginable milled before them.

I believe it’s an open market, Lexa, Rita answered. Let’s go see what they’re selling. She tightened her grip on Lexa’s hand so as not to lose her in the crowd and wound her way to a nearby booth.

The noise level approached a dull roar, with hundreds of languages being spoken until all Rita heard was babble. She wondered how they would make themselves understood and hoped the booths were equipped for translation.

That one, Rita, Lexa said, tugging on Rita’s hand and pointing to a booth that looked slightly quieter than the ones nearest them. Let’s see if they can understand us.

It took them several minutes to make their way through the crowd to the booth Lexa wanted. The air was filled with scent; some of it sweet and pleasant, some of it rank and off-putting—body odors of every type.

The air was warm and still with no breeze to move the smells away. The ruby spires that rose beyond the marketplace pierced a sky so washed out it looked white.

Beneath their feet the ruby-colored surface was smooth and hard as glass. No dirt, no scuff marks, no scratches, observed Rita. It reminded her of the gray stone that a long-gone alien race had used to build its outposts and hangars throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

Tens of thousands, perhaps even millions of years later, the gray stone looked as pristine as the day it had been laid. No dust collected on its surface, no plants grew to obscure it.

The stone and its builders were a puzzle Rita hoped to solve one day.

They stopped in front of the booth Lexa had chosen and stared at the wares on display. It appeared to be a fruit stand, selling fruit unlike any Rita had ever seen before.

Small, fat, green disks were piled neatly next to a basket of round purple fruits as large as her head. Another basket held blue, oval-shaped fruits covered in lethal-looking spines. Round pink fruit, covered in black polka-dots, were piled in a pyramid off to one side.

The fruit seller, a tall, wrinkled old woman with pale white skin and eyes like pieces of coal, smiled a toothless smile and said something unintelligible. Rita spread her hands, indicating she didn’t understand.

She wants to know if you would like to sample anything.

Rita looked behind her and saw a young woman with skin as black as ebony, long, silky black hair that hung to her bare waist, and eyes the color of dark green moss. The woman smiled, revealing strong white teeth.

I suggest the jomanja fruit. Most species can tolerate it without adverse reaction.

Rita smiled at the young woman. You’ll have to point it out to us. This is our first visit to your city.

Oh, it’s not my city. You want the large purple fruit there. She pointed to the basket of fruit with long, graceful fingers and said something to the fruit seller. The fruit seller nodded and grabbed the top piece from the basket, neatly slicing off four thin wedges.

Rita thanked the fruit seller and handed a wedge to each of her companions and one to the young woman. The woman ate hers greedily, then wiped the juice from her chin.

Hungry, thought Rita, as she sniffed at the wedge of fruit in her own hand. It smelled of salty seas and sunshine and something sweet. She bit into it and found it tasted just like it smelled. Fresh and refreshing, clean and nourishing.

Mmmm, good, Lexa said. Darwin thinks so too. Can we buy some?

Rita handed Lexa several of the credits she always carried. The credits worked anywhere in the galaxy, making commerce simple and easy.

Lexa turned to the fruit seller and pointed to the purple fruit. How much for two?

The young woman quickly translated and a few short minutes later Rita turned away from the