Since that adventure, Paul had been working tirelessly trying to solve the question that plagued his mind since then, and it's whether the Master truly was alive, after all, but it's been difficult for him, especially concerning the TARDIS wasn't cooperating with him.
He begged it to tell him everything he needed to know, but it kept giving him the same answer, that there was nothing for him to learn, that everything he knew is what it had, and that it didn't believe the Master was alive.
"Then who was it the Daleks were after, why they needed Doctor Ivo's help, why did they say it was the Master, then?" challenged Paul as he demanded answers from the TARDIS.
Watching the screens above, Paul sees a wall of text as the TARDIS explained that it didn't believe the Master was alive and that this was someone impersonating him.
"Who'd impersonate the Master?" Paul raised his fine brow.
The TARDIS answers that it doesn't know for sure, but it's certain, without a doubt, that the Master was dead, and that Hamon's sacrifice worked.
It also stated that it would never keep the fact from him if it were true, if it was the Master that came to Doctor Ivo, it would never let him, or Taylor, go near that complex.
"Whoever this is, they made plenty of enemies with the Daleks, why?" Paul exhaled sharply as he paced around the console room.
Granted, it's much easier to become an enemy of the Daleks than it is becoming their friend, but whoever was impersonating the Master received such ire that he never saw before, and the TARDIS answered that the impersonator was likely using the Master's appearance for their own gain.
"Why were the cult after him?" Paul questioned the TARDIS.
The TARDIS responded that the impersonator likely stole from them at one point while disguised and once the cult saw it wasn't the Master, they retaliated.
As for what the impersonator stole, it can't answer, but something important that the Daleks chased after it.
"What do you propose it was?" Paul asks the TARDIS's opinion, and it then answers that it can't been a weapon, they'd easily track it with ease, and it be too much of a burden to hide.
"What do you mean?" Paul crossed his arms as he glanced up at the monitors above the console and watched as the text scrawl answers that the possibility that the impersonator stole rare minerals.
Something that can't be found anywhere, except for one place.
His curiosity piqued, Paul watched as the text scrawl disappeared and an image appeared on the screens.
Gallifrey.
"Are you positive?" Paul gestured as he wanted to know if the TARDIS was sure and it insisted that it told the truth, that the rare minerals came from Gallifrey.
As for how the Daleks got their nonexistent hands on it, well, given their nature, the cult probably destroyed a cabal that had them from another cabal they themselves destroyed, so on.
Though something doesn't make sense for the TARDIS, and it questioned why the Daleks wanted the minerals, since during the war, they didn't make attempts to mine for it.
They wouldn't be able to mine it for, now, if they wanted, due to the high radiation caused by the bombs that would penetrate even their chassis.
It didn't make sense and it bothered the TARDIS.
Seeing how surprised the TARDIS was about the minerals, Paul asks how the minerals would fall into the Daleks' nonexistent hands if they didn't mine for it or risk their lives trying on the near uninhabitable planet.
The TARDIS didn't know, but it was just as surprised as Paul.
Confused, Paul asks what the uses of the rare minerals were, and the TARDIS explained that if someone had proper knowledge, they could be used for anything.
Further curious, Paul asks why the impersonator would want the minerals, and the TARDIS answers that it doesn't know, but it promised to tell him once it figures it out.
His hands to his side, Paul exhales as he turned his head to see Taylor coming through the doorway from the corridor with a tray of tea and small sandwiches.
"Peppermint tea and pastrami sandwiches with a smidge of mustard!" Taylor announced as she walked towards Paul with the tray.
His smile wide, Paul greets her as he takes the tray into his hands as they then sit around while sharing tea and sandwiches.
Taylor easily saw through Paul's careful act and asked what bothered him, he hesitated to tell her, but she pointed out that she hated seeing him like this, causing him to explain that he worried.
"It doesn't think it's him, but… I don't know, Grace, I can't shake this feeling that something is wrong," Paul exhaled sharply as he sat Indian style on the ground with Taylor across from him pouring them tea.
Resting the teapot on the tray, Taylor glances up at him with her emerald eyes as she comforts him.
"You'll figure it out, Paul, you always do," she reminds him that even though they had their share of difficult adventures and mysteries, Paul always finds a way of solving them.
Pulling his filled teacup towards him, Paul thanked her for her confidence in him, but he wasn't sure if he had any for himself.
Reaching out to touch his hand, Taylor asserts that Paul can figure it out, he just needed time, and reminds him that he'd also need rest.
"Hard for me to sleep, you know," Paul gives her an impish grin as he held her hand with his free hand.
Smiling, Taylor rubbed her thumb over his and they continued having their tea and sandwiches.
At the end, Paul helped clean the dishes while Taylor swept up the crumbs from the bread.
Carefully collecting the crumbs and disposing of them, Taylor sighs as she puts up the broom, patting down her stitched dress before stopping in her place.
She swore hearing her name, but when she turned her head to see Paul, he wasn't there.
Believing it was just her mind playing tricks again, Taylor disappears through the corridor to check on Paul.
"Tay…lor…" a voice whispers in the ether.
The END