Is there a way for me to READ some data from a file, regardless of RAM or Archive state? Without moving the file into RAM? If so, how?

Ultimately, you do need separate routines for each, though in theory you could find some way (though likely far less efficient) to treat the two cases the same.
This stems mainly from the fact that archived programs etc. can cross pages in Flash. The result of this is that the entire program cannot readily be made available at the same time. In short, you need to deal with the possibility of page crossings.
If, on the other hand, you're willing to give up the requirement that the program not be moved to RAM, when the program is archived you can copy it into RAM. There are two ways you can go about doing this: you can create a new program in RAM and copy the content, and then treat it like it was in RAM to begin with, though you'll want to delete the copy at the end; or you can copy the program, whether in Archive or RAM (and there is one bcall that will handle both cases with only one calculation on your part in the former case), into some area of saferam and work with it from there. This last suggestion might be best if you have the saferam to spare, as now you can work with it from a fixed address.

Well my goal was to just make a backup of it from wherever it is. The backup would be created in RAM, so if possible I would like to not move the original anywhere.