Although he already knew DAX thought he was mad, it still hurt on some level to hear him say it out loud. Again it made him doubt the veracity of his memories, what he thought was reality. It wasn't the life that DAX described that made ZEX want to "go back", far from it, but the idea of lying to himself about who he was. The very concept was repellant to him in so many ways; he swore long ago that he'd never pretend to be something he was not. If he was lying to himself about this entire ordeal, then he had an obligation, to his own character, to stop, even if the life he "returned" to instead sounded almost unbearable. It was the principle, his pride in a way at stake, and it was a weakness of his species.

The question came to what was the lie, and what was the truth. And his memories felt so much like truth... even when they fit so perfectly as lies. That sinking feeling again, that dread of not knowing which way is up.

"I don't think this place is helping me..." ZEX said eventually, in hopes of finding something to hold on to. The fact he wasn't sure, somewhere inside still not quite sure, if DAX was helping him or not (that he couldn't tell, even worse) was killing him.

"Surely my human wouldn't do such a thing." ZEX tried to laugh weakly and give his words the confidence he wished he had in them. "It was... a misunderstanding, I'd never hurt him intentionally." He still couldn't believe that he had hurt him; the irresponsibility of it galled him. "I'm sure he'd understand. He's very fond of me, you know."