Hi! It's been awhile. I have been trying, believe me. 10,000 words worth of scrapped sections is what it took to get this chapter. I just couldn't get what I wanted until now. Anyway, we are coming to a close of this particular arc and its gonna be quite the -=REDACTED=- Funny, the entire time Ruby was on Kastle was only supposed to be like 5 chapters. But it just took a life of its own. Its been fun to have it develop further than I had originally planned.

As a literary note, I don't think I'll ever to a POV from Data'tek again. I kind of regret the last time having done so because it takes away the alien feel that I want him to have. Even though he is a Salamander, he is still a 'Transhuman' to borrow a term from the Black Library and also he -=REDACTED=-

Also, anyone else watch Episode one of Volume 5?! I did! AHG! Ruby you are just so dang adorable!

10/26/2017: As I have become more experienced in writing, I have been going back and doing some real editing. Nothing plot will be changed, just things such as grammar and making dialogue and the writing in general feel more real I am getting rid of unecessary words and adding necessary ones as well as taking pointers from you, my dear readers, in correcting lore issues or other things that you have pointed out as erroneous. I appreciate all of your feedback so that I can make previous and future chapters better. Chapters 13, 14, and 15 have suffered this editing thus far. Makes me wish I had a proofreader.

Enjoy!

Ruby remained curled up in her spot against the counter. Her legs were pulled up to her chest and she had her arms wrapped around them. Her head was resting on her knees, leaving her curled into a small ball. Her shoulders rose and fell slowly, occasionally interrupted by a spasm as she would cough wetly. Coughing aside, she looked rather peaceful, like she was but sleeping. The truth of the matter was that she far from being at peace.

She began coughing again. Each flexed expulsion of air became more and more violent until she uncurled, fell on her side with only her elbow holding her up, and retched yet more blood onto the dusty floor. When she finished, she sat back up and thunked her head against the counter with her eyes shut tight. She groaned aloud as her abused body cried out for rest and relief. The stimm that Data'tek had given her helped somewhat with both the pain and exhaustion, but it only made it bearable.

At the thought of the Space Marine, Ruby clenched her fists tightly. While she wouldn't consider Hicks and his tank-crew to have been her friends, they were her comrades. That Data'tek was so quick to condemn them left Ruby in a maelstrom of emotion. Anger, irritation, doubt….

Relief.

At the last emotion, she inhaled sharply and sat up straight. She was shocked as she came to this feeling. Not a moment later, guilt swept its way onto the battleground of her mind. She tried to pawn it off thinking that it was because of her exhaustion and her injuries that she thought so. Yet the fact still remained that she, Ruby Rose, was glad she didn't have to go back for them.

Doubt nibbled at her mind like a parasite. It told her that she was weak. That she was failing. That she was no better than anyone else in this dark world to so condemn those who fell behind. She had joined the Imperial Guard to help those around her and here she was, not wanting to help.

She slumped down, sliding her boots up until her heels pressed against her backside. She hugged herself tightly, taking some masochistic comfort as her side complained against such movement. There, she began to weep. Softly and quietly, she cried. Only the warmth of muddied tears giving evidence of her sorrow.

Suddenly, she shot upright. "NO!" Tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she shouted to the darkness. She climbed to her feet and stood with her head down and her hands to her sides clenched into tight fists. She whispered softly. "I do belong here. This world, this Galaxy, needs help. And if not me? Then who?" She raised her head up and stared at the ceiling as if she was staring back at the gods of the universe, her voice raising in power and volume as she spoke. "So you know what? You can beat me up. You can kick me down. But I'm never gonna give up!"

She nodded once, her point made and began to stomp towards the door as she wiped the tears from her face. As she reached the door, she stopped, whirled around and jabbed a finger into the air sharply, pointing at these mental gods she argued with. "And don't even think about taking any more friends! They're mine!"

She flung the door open and stormed outside, leaving her forlorn doubts behind her.

"Thanks for waiting."

The Salamander turned to the small woman that stood next to him. She was in the midst of wiping her mouth, the back of her hand coming away with a streak of fresh blood that stained her lips.

"What?" Ruby asked as she stood next to him, her neck craned backwards to see him. He had been just outside the door and had undoubtedly heard her entire speech to an audience of no one.

His stare left no doubt as to what he thought of her mental stability. "Are you well?"

Ruby sniffed, slightly embarrassed as she began kicking as small bits of debris and rock. "Yeah, I'm fine. Two thumbs up!" She held up two thumbs and looked up with a toothy, if somewhat forced, grin. A grin that faded quickly.

Data'tek cocked his head to the side. His helm declined slightly as he appraised her skyward thumbs.

Ruby followed his gaze down to her thumbs, then looked back up at him. "You have no idea what this means to you?"

He shook his head.

Ruby laughed briefly and walked up to the Marine's side. She patted him gently on the forearm, his shoulder being far out of reach, and strode past him. "Oh boy, I have so much to teach you. You're like that robot from that one movie. The uh, Exterminator?" She laughed again at her own comparison of Data'tek and how accurate it was as she continued to walk/limp forward.

"Lady Rose." Ruby spun on her heel, hopeful for some human comment from her stoic comrade. Data'tek merely pointed in the direction opposite of which she was heading. "Our path leads that way."

Ruby blinked, then snorted and waved a hand dismissively. "I knew that, just checking if you did." She pointed forward and started marching again. "Let's go thataway my knightly companion!"

With a shrug, the Salamander followed her.

As they walked in the benighted streets, they resumed the same cadence that they had earlier. Ruby hobbled along, hiding any indicators of pain, while Data'tek scanned their surroundings, seemingly either oblivious or not caring at her pained state. She also continued to poke and pry, asking him various questions or telling him random stories as she continued her game of 'Poke the Dragon' as she called it, for no other reason than the dragon decal on his pauldron.

"-and they put me in a garbage can! For my birthday! You think they would have been a little nicer, right?" Ruby laughed by herself as she shared her story. Data'tek made no sign that he had even heard. Ruby's solo fit of laughter died, along with her smile. "Why don't you talk?"

"….."

"Do I, annoy you?" She asked, reaching across with her right arm to hold her left which dangled at her side.

"No."

Ruby sighed gratefully, her arm dropping down to swing by her side. "Oh good. You see, I'm not always the most uh, socially graceful." She laughed softly as she remembered the first time she had met Weiss. Bee's knees indeed. "Anyway, back on track here! So why don't you talk much?"

"…" Data'tek's response was long in coming. Ruby's mind had already begun to wander, having given up hope for an answer, when he suddenly spouted in a slow and meticulous manner, "With what words shall I slay the enemies of man?"

"What?" Ruby tripped in surprise at the sudden and unexpected question. She shot a glare over her shoulder at the offending debris. "Words don't really kill people Data. You do know that, right?"

"Yes, Lady Rose." He replied, leaning over slightly so he could both look at her and tower over her simultaneously as they walked. "Though you are bringing doubt into my mind of the veracity of this truth."

Ruby stopped mid-stride. "Did you just... Make a joke?" Data'tek didn't reply. He just kept walking while Ruby stared after him, a grin spreading across her face. "HA!" She shouted before running after her guardian. When she caught up, she punched him in the arm. "That's better! I knew you had some life in there!" She said while trying to hide the hurt in her face after punching solid ceramite armour. "I think you'll like my other friends though. I'm sure Cade will drag a comment out of…. No, I think you'll just want to punch him like I do half the time." She snickered at the thought of a Space Marine punching Cade. "How much farther do we have to go anyway?" She asked, still smiling.

A shrug.

Ruby snorted, "I'll take that as a you don't really know."

Data'tek suddenly halted in his tracks. Ruby did as well as the sky flashed and thunder roiled down to greet them in its trail.

"That was close." Muttered Ruby. "Close for lightning." She looked up to the sky to see the darkness of space greeting her. Stars twinkled in the void without a cloud in site to hide them. "But there's no clouds…"

Data'tek shook his head. "Explosives. That, Lady Rose, is how far we must go." He then turned and dropped to a knee so he was closer to Ruby's height. She appreciated that he did this, craning her neck back was rather annoying. "Tread carefully. Do not leave my side."

"Bad guys?"

Data'tek nodded. "Undoubtedly. Are you well enough for combat?"

Ruby's response was quick and fleeting. Her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched at her side. Then, as if it had never happened, her expression softened and her eyes flicked to the side to stare at the ground. "I…" She looked up see Data'tek staring at her. "Yes."

He then stood and gestured with his head for them to proceed.

They hadn't gone far before the sounds of combat were apparent. As it were, only a few city blocks separated them from the maelstrom of combat but the winding alleys and desiccated architecture forced them to take detours. At times they were walking towards their destination, then a sharp wind would lead them the opposite way. Ruby's eyes were pulled back to the flashes of light that brightened the skyline as they wound their way closer. With every step closer the streets became more narrow and rundown. Alleyways replaced the winding streets and stench of too many humans pressed too close together became apparent. Filth that had been discarded when the troubles began had been left to rot in the heat of the arid environment.

Still, with all the signs of human life they met no one. No one human at least. They did end up meeting one small creature. Data'tek noticed it at first; a small pitiful noise which he ignored. Ruby though, was less inclined to pass by as she stopped mid-stride, her head shooting up and ending her staring contest with the ground. "Data? Do you hear that? It sounds like…" Ruby trailed off as the little noise continued. Ears perked, she approached an alleyway on her right.

"Lady Rose." Data'tek admonished with a tone not unlike that of an adult reminding a child of a task.

"Just a…" Ruby approached a metal dumpster that was cracked open ever so slightly. Piles of garbage created a mountain of refuse and junk. "…Second." She gripped the lid and gave it a heave, throwing the lit against the wall with a clang. Pulling herself up Ruby leaned forward so her legs dangled wildly in the air while her torso disappeared inside the dumpster. After a few moments, she reappeared holding a small furry object in her hands.

"Oh, look at him! He's so cute!" Ruby squealed, her eyes wide to match her smile for in her hands was a small orange kitten. "I didn't know you had cats!" The kitten mewed and nuzzled Ruby's fingers as she scratched under its chin.

"Lady Rose." Data'tek repeated, his flat tone garnering a hint of sharpness.

"Oh, c'mon Data." Ruby threw back as she held the kitten up. The cat mewed at the sudden movement, but continued to purr happily. "At least come say hello."

The sigh that emanated from Data'tek wasn't audible, but the movement was plain to see as his chest rose and fell in an annoyed exhale. Ruby couldn't help but smirk as he stepped forward. As he stood an arms-length away, Ruby held the kitten up to Data, who didn't move. The feline mewed plaintively at him.

"Okay fine, let me help you, you oversized awkward bot." Ruby huffed. Cradling the kitten close to her chest with one arm, she reached out with her other and gripped Data'tek's arm. She tugged at his arm fruitlessly. "Ugh! Why do you make things so difficult? Humor me will ya?" Slowly Data'tek allowed her to maneuver his arm as she saw fit. She positioned it at a ninety-degree angle and positioned his palm upwards. "Okay, don't move."

Ruby pried the kitten from her chest, its claws having found purchase in her uniform. She gently placed the kitten in Data'tek's hand. The kitten was dwarfed his hand, barely as large as his palm. He didn't move as it sniffed and pawed at his fingers.

Ruby couldn't help but giggle. "I think he likes you. Go ahead, pet him."

His index finger responded, slowly rubbing against the feline. He turned his helm to Ruby as if questioning either if he was doing it right, or her sanity, Ruby wasn't sure which.

"Oh, this is just too cute! What I would give for my scroll right now!" Squealed Ruby, her smile so wide is seemed to threaten to split her face in twain, "I think you've gotta be the first Space Marine to do this right? I mean, you're so serious, even though it's just adorable." She sighed happily, something she hadn't done in a long time. "What should we name him? It is a him, right?"

Data'tek held out the kitten for Ruby to retrieve and shrugged. After the last few hours Ruby had come to recognize this particular shrug. It translated loosely to 'Whatever.'

Ruby put her hands on her hips and cocked one hip out, her head tilted to the side. "What? Don't you have pets on your world?"

Data'tek shook his head. "My world's fauna would deem most humans a desirable meal."

"Oh."

Data'tek again proffered the kitten, perhaps too sharply as it hissed and jumped from his hand. With typical catlike grace, the feline landed and bolted down the alleyway, leaving the two behind.

"Wait little guy!" Ruby cried out. Immediately she gave chase, hurtling down the cramped alleyway. She ignored Data'tek calling her name as she raced after the kitten; she had finally found something just like home and she wasn't going to lose it so easily. In spite of her leg whining at the abuse she managed to keep up. Always just barely managing to catch a sight of an orange tuft of fur in the close confines of the alleyways.

She rounded one corner, then two, then she saw it run inside a building through a hole in the door. Ruby didn't hesitate, plowing through the door. She ran through, her foot catching on the doorjamb and sending her tumbling to the middle of the floor. She hissed as her knee slammed down hard.

Ruby looked up to see a small kitchen with a single arched entryway to the rest of the house. Instead of a kitten, there were autogun slugs strewn about the table and not one, but four individuals staring at her. Two of these men were at the table, one was at the archway, and another stood at the kitchen counter with a bowl in his hands. Ruby stared back, both parties in a state of limbo at her unexpected arrival. She blew her bangs from her fae and made eye contact with the closest stranger, "Well, this is awkward."

Their response was less than kind as one at the table stood and knocked his chair backwards, "It's a scout! Kill 'er"

With a mad clutter of tumbling chairs and exclamations, the four in the room picked up various weapons while Ruby scrambled to her feet. Crescent Rose opened as the first round was fired. With a zip, Ruby felt the round caress the tip of her ear as she threw herself forward at the man who had fired. He was closest to her, having been sitting at the table, and Crescent Rose buried itself deep in his side. Blood flew from the blade as he fell and Ruby whirled away, blood flying in a crimson arc from the metal to paint the walls.

Another round flew past and grazed her thigh, the rifle's report deafening in the tight quarters. Ruby hissed through teeth clenched in pain and lunged at the other man at the table with Crescent Rose coming down from overhead.

With a sudden jerk, Crescent Rose slipped from Ruby's fingers. Without the sudden counterweight, Ruby stumbled and colliding with the table. The man and herself both cried out in shouts and grunts as they tumbled to the floor in a pile. Immediately Ruby felt the cold clambering of fingers struggling to grip her. She fought back, the tangle of limbs unintelligible from their place on the floor.

The barrel of a pistol was pressed against her head and she jerked her head sideways.

Two shots went off, the heat from the discharge tickling the skin on her cheek. She grabbed the arm that held the pistol and sank her teeth into it. Blood filled her mouth and the man she was grappling with shrieked and dropped his gun.

Ruby fumbled with the pistol before firing twice at the gun's former owner. He let go of her and Ruby rolled away.

Two men remained standing. They held no firearms but one was quickly grabbing rounds from off the floor and was ramming them into a magazine. The other man, who had been holding the bowl, now held a frying pan. He pushed towards her swinging the cookery wildly.

Ruby ducked underneath the swing and charged at the man trying to load his weapon. She tackled him and the magazine flew from his hands. Her own pistol flew from her hands as they crashed to the ground with her atop him. She tried to roll away and make for her dropped weapon when she was grabbed from behind and thrown against the counter.

Crying out as her back hit the counter, she found the man with the frying pan now in front of her. His weapon was discarded as he reached for her throat. Pressed up against the counter, Ruby had nowhere to go as she felt stiff fingers wrap around her neck.

She punched and kicked, aiming at his groin and eyes. He blocked her attempts but the actions bought her time. His fingers slipped briefly, allowing Ruby to gulp down a single breath before his grip tightened again.

Her throat burning, Ruby felt blindly along the counter for anything to use. Her fingers brushed a burning object; the bowl the man had been holding. Grabbing it tightly she tossed it at her assailant's face. Hot liquid spilled from the bowl and burned her hand. The grip around her neck ceased amidst screams of pain. Coughing and gasping, Ruby kicked weakly and pushed him away where he fell to the ground clutching his eyes.

The other man was behind him, ramming his magazine home in his retrieved rifle and lifting it to aim at her.

She dove to the side as a stream of automatic fire spread where she had been standing. Rapid thunks shattered the cabinetry where she had stood a moment before. She crawled behind the fallen table and covered her head as rounds punched through the thin metal.

With a ping the firing stopped and she heard the man curse. Ruby pulled her arms from her head and looked over the edge of the table. The shooter was focused on his gun, pulling the charging handle again and again as the ejected rounds pinged to the floor.

Stumbling to her feet, Ruby hurdled the table and dove for the stolen pistol that had fallen from her hands. She rolled as she hit the ground, her hands around the grip as she lay on her back and aimed down at the man.

Crack

Blood flew from his shoulder and his autogun clattered to the floor. He shrieked and dropped to a knee. He reached for his discarded autogun-

Crack

Ruby fired again and he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

The final man, his eyes and face scalded, ran blindly out the door that Ruby had entered through only seconds before.

Just like that it was over. Ruby lay there, her chest heaving up and down and her muscles tense. Movement drew her eyes to the ceiling. There was Crescent Rose, stuck fast into the ceiling and still swaying back and forth. Ruby rolled up to a sitting position and pushed herself backwards until she was cornered between a couch and a wall. She made herself as small as possible, her legs pulled up to her chest and her dilated pupils twitched from the bodies, to the door, to her swinging scythe, then back to the bodies. Her shaky hands followed her vision, the gun rattling as she held it unsteadily.

Sounds of gunfire echoed outside along with panicked shouts then it fell to silence. The only noise apart from the distant echo of explosions was the steady drip of blood from Crescent Rose, and the slow approach of heavy boots crunching on stone. Data'tek then entered the building. He approached her, ignoring the corpses on the floor and knelt at her side. Ruby shook even more violently but made no other sign of acknowledgement. Data'tek lifted his left hand from his bolter and gripped the pistol that Ruby held with white knuckles. He pulled at the weapon and slowly, Ruby eased her grip and let the weapon slip from her fingers, the imprint of the weapon still left in her skin.

"You should have stayed by my side." He said, his voice as calm and emotionless as ever.

Ruby slightly tilted her head upwards and met his gaze, her eyes partially hidden behind wayward bangs. She quickly broke the eye contact, dropping her head down to stare at her shaking hands. She clenched them together tightly and the quivering gradually stilled. "I know. It's just, I found something of home and I didn't want to lose it… I hope it's okay." She pulled herself to her feet and brushed her bangs from her face. She then noticed Data'tek was no longer the green she remembered. Blood painted his breastplate and his left arm and hid the emerald shine of his armour. "Oh, Data! Are you hurt?" She reached out a hand, halting only a few centimeters from touching his vambrace. "What happened?" She looked for any signs of damage to his armour but she saw nothing.

He stared at her for a moment, "We must move. Others will be notified of our presence." He held out the autopistol to Ruby. She took it from his palm hesitantly and slid it into her holster. She then moved towards Crescent Rose. She kept her gaze upwards as she stepped over the corpses on the floor and pried her weapon from the ceiling. She had only just put the scythe at her back when Data'tek snapped his bolter up and aimed it at a door on the opposite side of the building.

"What?" Ruby asked, her voice dropping to a whisper as she drew her newly aquired autopistol.

Data'tek began backing up and with one hand gestured towards the door that Ruby had entered through. His bolter never lowered as Ruby followed his instructions and ran as quietly as she could out the door. Data'tek slipped out behind her, his movement crisp and precise. He gestured down the alleyway they had entered and began moving at a brisk pace.

Ruby followed suit, jogging to keep up. She stole a glance backwards towards the open door and the corpses within. Her gut clenched at the sight of a prone body and she quickly averted her gaze, shutting her eyes tight as it to block the image from entering her mind. She couldn't afford to focus on her ever growing kill count now. Not when danger was potentially around every corner.

As if to reinforce the idea, an explosion ripped through the building they had just exited. Shouts and gunfire followed suit. Armed men, in some cases with extra arms, poured from the building out into the alleyway. But Ruby and Data'tek were already rounding the corner, cutting off any further vision of their pursuers.