The tension in the desecrated chapel had changed. The sharp edge of impending violence had been replaced by the heavy weight of uncertainty. The surviving Ultramarines had formed a defensive semi-circle, their bolters no longer aimed directly at Rimuru, but held at a low ready. Their discipline was absolute, but Corvus could feel their confusion and fear bleeding over the squad vox.
"It's simple, really," Rimuru began, his tone earnest. "My world is very far from here. We were testing a new form of travel, and something… unexpected happened. Now I am here, in this massive, broken ship, with no idea how to get back." He looked at Corvus, his golden eyes filled with genuine curiosity. "When you first saw me, you shouted about an 'Emperor of Mankind.' Is he the ruler here? Understanding your society might help me find someone who understands the principles of dimensional travel."
Corvus processed the torrent of impossibilities. Dimensional travel. Other worlds. It sounded like the ravings of a madman or the deceptions of a daemon. Yet, the proof of some unnatural power lay in the absolute emptiness around them.
"The Emperor is the Master of Mankind," Corvus stated, his voice a low catechism. "He is the light in the darkness, the eternal sovereign of the Imperium of Man, which spans a million worlds across this galaxy."
Rimuru's eyes widened slightly. "A million worlds… So this is a galactic empire. That's… bigger than I expected." He seemed to deflate a little, the scale of his problem suddenly dawning on him. "Okay. That makes getting home significantly more complicated."
He looked at the Space Marines, then at the dark, imposing corridor from which they had come. "You aren't just here by accident, are you? You have a mission."
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"Indeed," Corvus affirmed, deciding that a measure of truth was his only viable currency. "This vessel, this Space Hulk, is a harbinger of death. It is infested with the xenos you just witnessed. At its heart is a Patriarch, a brood-father. If it reaches an Imperial world, that world will fall to ruin. Our mission is to locate and destroy it."
Rimuru nodded slowly, a plan forming behind his kind eyes. This was an opportunity. "It sounds like we have a common interest, then. You need to get to the heart of this ship to destroy your target. I need information and, eventually, a way to get home. This place seems dangerous, even for you."
He offered them a proposition, his tone shifting from that of a lost tourist to a capable, benevolent ally.
"Let me help you," he said simply. "I can ensure your safe passage to this Patriarch. My senses can detect these creatures long before they find us, and as you've seen, dealing with them is no trouble for me. In exchange, once your mission is complete, you will escort me to the nearest civilized Imperial world and share your knowledge with me. A simple, mutual exchange."
The offer was ludicrous. A xenos entity of unknown origin and power offering to assist the Adeptus Astartes in their holy duty. Sergeant Cassian took a half-step forward, his hand tightening on his chainsword's grip. "Librarian, we cannot. It is heresy."
"Hold, Sergeant," Corvus commanded, raising a hand. He looked at Rimuru, analyzing the offer not with the eyes of a zealot, but with the cold logic of an Ultramarine strategist. They had already sustained casualties. The Hulk was vast and teeming with foes. Their chances of success were not guaranteed. This being, 'Rimuru', represented a near-certain path to mission success. The price was a temporary alliance that violated a thousand years of doctrine. But the cost of failure was an entire Imperial world.
The needs of the many outweighed the purity of the few.
"Your terms are… unorthodox," Corvus said finally. "But the threat is great. We accept your proposal. We will forge a temporary covenant. You will aid us in our mission to purge the abomination. Afterward, we will convey you to an Imperial fortress and present our findings to our superiors." He did not mention that such a presentation would likely involve a containment cell and an Inquisitor. For now, this was the path he had to walk.
Rimuru smiled brightly, genuinely pleased. "Excellent! It's a deal. You can count on me." He looked past them, down the dark, oppressive hallway. "Well then, lead the way, Librarian Corvus. Let's go meet your Patriarch."
And so, an impossible procession began. Four transhuman demigods of war, eight feet of ceramite, zealotry, and steel, moving deeper into the bowels of the derelict ship. And walking calmly beside them, as if on a pleasant afternoon stroll, was a kind-eyed being from another universe who had just introduced the grim darkness of the far future to a power it had never known.