Yeah this seems to be the most likely scenario and is actually a pretty cool twist. Forcing the traveler to protect itself and in turn us was a pretty smart move by rasputin and opens up so many possibilities for the future (will the traveller be pissed when he is back up and running?). I also read in another grimiore that rasputin dislikes guardians and the traveller but knows it needs us. Rapsutin is deffinately my favourite thing/character/ai in the game