What did that mean? But she wasn't about to let him distract her, so she left that alone and tried another question. “What's a construct?”
Again he went perfectly still. “You've heard people call me that.”
“Of course. That and the gunner. Which brings up another question . . . why doesn't anyone ever call you by your name? Aside from Ali, when nobody else is around.”
The young man let out a heavy breath, almost a sigh. “I suppose I could keep telling you that I don't want to talk about this. But now that we've grown closer I suppose it's not really fair to shut you out. Especially now that you're an official member of the crew, since none of this is a secret from the others.”
Lana took Dax's hand, looking deep into his green eyes. “I don't want to force you to if you really don't want to. But I also want to know who you are, and that's hard when I know barely anything about you.”
He gently squeezed her hand, meeting her gaze without flinching. “I suppose I want to tell you,” he said quietly. “At first I was afraid you'd start treating me like the others do if you knew, but now . . . I think, or at least I hope, you'll still be my friend after you know everything.”
“I will,” she promised solemnly. Although she couldn't help but feel a moment of trepidation, wondering what about his past or who he was caused people to treat him so differently.
Dax nodded and closed his eyes, as if gathering his thoughts. “I know you're getting close to Belix. Has she told you anything about Ishivi constructs?”
Lana started in surprise. “Wait, you're Ishivi?”
The young man's eyes snapped open, and he actually broke his rigid self-control enough to frown slightly. “No. And you'd better not let the twins hear you even suggest it.” He seemed to notice her somewhat bewildered expression and looked away. “Sorry. It's a touchy subject for everyone.”
“Why?”
This time he actually did sigh. “Because there are two types of people in Ishivi culture. If you could even call the second type “people”. Ishivi certainly don't.” His expression tightened into that rigid mask that meant he was fighting to control very strong emotions. “So, you haven't heard anything about constructs. What do you know about the captain's relationship with Belix?”
Lana blinked. “Just that he had one, although neither of them seem to want to talk about it.”
“If they've mentioned it at all they've opened up to you more than with anyone else.” He squeezed her hand again. “They must like you.”
She felt her face flushing. “What does this have to do with you?”
“Everything.” Dax sighed again, his free hand toying with his fork. “But I suppose I should start at the beginning. Sorry, I'm not used to telling this story. Everyone I know either already knows it or, well, I don't know them for long enough to call them friends.”
Lana had to admit the idea that she was the first person he'd really opened up to warmed her heart. She waited patiently for him to continue, which he eventually did in a low, almost monotone voice.
“Ishivi are a group of isolationist humans who believe in perfecting their own genetic code. At the dawn of their philosophy, they resorted to reckless genetic testing, reaching the point of nearly destroying their DNA so it was almost no longer viable, and procreation was becoming more and more difficult. After nearing the point of extinction for their people they dialed it back, taking the more cautious approach of improving their genes through breeding programs. From that point on they only used their knowledge of genetic alteration on themselves and their children to repair obvious genetic defects, and test fetuses to see if their genes were an improvement on their parents'.”
Wow, was that a mouthful. But, in that odd way of Blank Slates, Lana found she understood all the terms, as if she'd known them well before her memory was wiped. She thought she understood what Dax was talking about, although it sounded horrifying and sad at the same time.
“A big part of their breeding program,” he continued grimly, “is searching among the best and brightest of humans for superior DNA to add to their gene pool. Humans who distinguish themselves for beauty, intelligence, reflexes, strong impulse control, and other desirable attributes are approached by the Ishivi, who wish to collect sperm or ova. The less savory Ishivi even go so far as to steal DNA, and from it produce the required genetic material to create offspring.”
That explained why Barix was so eager to get in her pants, or at least harvest some of her eggs. Lana didn't know why, but the thought of him tinkering with her genetic material, turning her children into cogs in some sort of breeding program, repulsed her.
But she didn't know the half of it yet, as she was about to find out.
Dax was still toying with his fork, monotone voice taking on a tinge of pain. “As I said before, Ishivi test all fetuses to see which are superior, or at least adequate. Not all are.”
He stopped talking again, and the silence stretched on until Lana finally cleared her throat. “What happens to those who are found wanting?”
The young man looked up, deep misery in his striking green eyes. “They become me.”
“I-I don't understand.”
“The second type in Ishivi society, who aren't considered properly people,” he said, an actual hint of heat in his voice. But it was obvious he wasn't angry at her. “Their genetics are already unsuitable in the eyes of Ishivi, so they have no qualms about tinkering with them. Some they use for research, but most become constructs like me.”
He fell silent again. “And what is a construct?” Lana
