The Journal of Mechanics and Biology

The human brain is designed to run based on a set of complex backup systems. For example, All aspects of visual perception are not located in the same area. If you are to destroy one aspect of the visual system they may be able to retain other aspects of that same system. For this reason it is rather difficult to fully remove the functioning of a single sensory aspect by damaging cortical tissue. However, due to the complexity of these backup systems within a human brain, the slightest malfunction can also cause a mass ripple affect throughout the entire brain.

An imbalance in their neurotransmission chemicals can cause system wide catastrophic failure which can lead to any number of problems including, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.. Additionally, improper neural connections can also cause ripple effects in behavior. A defective connection between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala is, perhaps, one of the most unsettling.

Though we know little about the subject, human studies have connected this to Antisocial Personality which can be further broken down into Sociopathy and Psychopathy. Specifically focusing on Psychopathy we find that a disconnect between the frontal lobe and the amygdala demonstrate a lack of empathy and the absence of fear. A human Psychopath often participants in extreme risky and criminal activity because they feel no fear worry or guilt, sensations which keep normal Humans within the bounds of their social law.

While many psychopaths do not become violent and prefer to work high risk business jobs, when they do get a taste for criminality, the results can be catastrophic. With a lack of fear and empathy, a human psychopath may see no issue with violent crimes against his own species.

As far as we know, there is no reasonable way to detect a human psychopath on short notice, but those who have had experience have indicated that, because of their heightened animalistic instincts, another human may feel uneasy when confronted with one. Though this way of telling is not always accurate, it should be taken under advisement that if a number of humans are uneasy around one of their own species, than it is best to stay clear.

Krill stood silently next to Captain Vir, as the ship's cargo ramp was lowered towards the dusty ground below. A cloud of red dust plumbed into the air before dispersing to show a wide expanse of flat, red rock broken, only distantly, by the occasional hill, and a windswept concrete structure surrounded on all sides by security fences and posted with guards.

Just below them, a dusty red jeep, a human vehicle, sat sides covered in a thick layering of red dust.

"Remind me again why we would take on such a risky mission." Krill asked quietly glancing nervously at the group of four guards and one prisoner standing quietly outside the vehicle.

Captain Vir gave a short laugh, and with a clank he took his first step forward onto the cargo ramp prosthetic foot clattering against the metal below him.

"It can't be that risky." He began, "It's just a prisoner transport.' Krill clattered onto the ramp after him making sure to stay behind the safety of the captain's larger form.

"Besides." The captain muttered, "No one else is willing to risk dealing with a human prisoner, so the galactic assembly contacted us personally."

Krill didn't much like that explanation, but he gave up trying to understand it as they made their way to the bottom of the ramp.

The captain showed no such worry making his way straight up to the group of guards as a few of the crew members clattered down the stairs behind them.

As was order by the galactic assembly, the human prisoner was bound with the proper human restraints including ankle chains wrist manacles and a belly chain all connected together to reduce his movement. Additionally, his mouth and nose were covered by a clear plastic spit-shield. The human didn't appear worried or agitated in the slightest. In fact, his posture was rather relaxed as he waited in the scorching desert sun.

Odd though, looking at the human guards, Krill noted the stiffness of their bodies, and the watchfulness of their eyes. They were agitated, while the prisoner was not. Krill didn't see why, the human was perfectly calm.

Captain Vir ignored the signs as well making his way to the guard in charge to exchange a few words before the man handed over a cream colored file. The captain appeared perplexed by something the man said, but brushed it off a moment later and motion the group of men towards the ship.

The guards complied, and marched the prisoner up the ramp and into the cargo bay. Krill followed captain Vir on their way back up pleased to be out of the heat, which had already drained much of his energy.

"We leave him in your capable hands." The guard captain said, "Just remember what I told you, and you should have no problems."

Captain Vir gave a short nod, and the man backed out of the cargo bay. As soon as he did so Krill noted the man's posture straighten as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. By the look on his face, you would have thought he had just returned from battle.

Captain Vir barked an order, and the ramp gave a metallic hiss closing behind them finally blocking the oppressive heat radiating inwards from the desert moon.

Captain vir turned just then giving off a sharp hiss of surprise. Krill turned and paused to find that the other human, the prisoner, had moved silently forward so the two men were now nose to nose.

The entire cargo bay had gone quiet, and Krill watched in confusion as all the blood drained from the captain's face.

The prisoner gave a chuckle and stepped back wide smile visible through the spit shield.

The white was replaced suddenly by a wash of red, and the captain stepped forward again right into the prisoner's space.

Krill stepped back in shock. He had never seen such a primitively overt manifestation of dominance from the captain. Whatever just happened, had caused an almost primal reaction.

"Threaten me again, and that chain goes around your neck." The captain hissed looming a good two inches over the prisoner.

Despite the show of dominance, the prisoner remained smiling posture relaxed. There was no fear in his eyes.

Despite this, the captain stood his ground as the man was dragged towards the brig by a group of four other humans.

As soon as the man left the room, the captain's face drained again and he stepped back looking almost sick. One hand moved to rub the opposite arm. That hand was shaking.

Krill stepped forward.

"Captain, are you alright?"

The man gave a confused shake of his head, "Yeah I.... think so... I don't know that man just. Uh, makes my skin crawl."

Krill glanced down at the captain's dermal layer but found nothing untoward.

The captain must have noticed, "A figure of speech, Krill. He bothers me.... the look in his eyes... uh."

As it turned out, the captain wasn't the only one to be so affected. Other members of the crew reported similar, though varying, levels of uneasiness. Krill found the idea both fascinating and chilling. What about such a diminutive human could create such a visceral reaction in the crew. While the captain had responded to the man with increased dominance, a few of the other humans refused to be in the same room with him. Others, left his presence shaking and one or more of the crew members demanded that the captain release him immediately for someone else to take care of.

Though the captain looked inclined to agree, he was forced to admit there were no other options.

Krill tried to understand it, but the answers he received were mostly the same. There was something about the prisoner that caused the other humans to respond as if they were in close proximity to one of their own earth predators. As far as Krill knew, there wasn't much that could scare a human, but this was something all together different.

A few times he took to watching the prisoner through the cameras in his cell, but As far as krill could tell, there was nothing so different about him. He seemed relatively calm and well behaved for a human. He barely talked, and aside from his first interaction with the captain, he had not made any overtly dominant attempts.

Chained only with the handcuffs, the human switched between sleeping and resting with his back to the floor staring up at the ceiling.

Once accompanying the captain to feed the prisoner, Krill learned just how unnerving the new human could be.

The captain had just slid the trey through the bars when, suddenly, the man was right there. The captain took a step back in shock. The look on the other human's face was unnaturally focused eyes narrowed in concentration mouth turned in a wide grin.

"Good morning, Captain." The man began. The tone of his voice was pleasant enough, though Krill noted the same visceral reaction of the captain whose mouth twitched in disgust hands balling defensively into fists.

"What do you want." He snapped

"Oh come now, captain. I just wanted to make a friendly greeting to someone who has graciously taken care of me." Krill watched as the man eyed the captaining up and down expression almost hungry as he did so.

"You can take your thanks and shove them up your ass." The captain growled.

The man frowned, "Such an aversion to someone you know nothing about."

"I know your a psycho. Don't need a degree to tell you that."He growled quietly, "Come on, Krill."The captain snapped marching them out into the hall and slamming the door behind him.

Captain Vir must have seen the reaction on his face for he stopped and gave a sigh, "Sometimes people just make you feel wrong. It's like Evil becomes a physical sensation crawling around inside you like a bucket of maggots."

Krill shook his head in disgust, no wonder they were so averse to the stranger,

Vir Sighed, "I read the man's file about a day ago... should never have agreed to this mission. Wouldn't've if I had know what he'd done."

"And what did he do?"

The captain eyed Krill for a long moment before sighing, "You know humans are a very aggressive race.... we are a species of extremes, and while there is good there is evil, and that man broke one of the two greatest taboos in human society."

"And what are those?" Krill asked nervously.

"The two are Cannibalism and Incest."

Krill gave a little squeak of horror upon hearing the definition of the two words. He even gave a little step back from the captain horrified that a species could even be capable of such behavior.

The captain held out a hand, "I said it's Taboo, Krill. Meaning NORMAL people are disgusted by it."

Krill swallowed hard, "And which one did he do."

Vir gave a short hiss, "When they caught him, they also found the remains of at least five separate people. When they couldn't find the rest he admitted to cooking them up and eating them."

If Krill could have been sick he would have.

Psychopathy was a new word for Krill, and he quickly learned the meaning just a day out from the last station when accompanying the captain to move the prisoner. Despite their distrust, they shouldn't have grown so complacent.

They should have left on the proper restraints.

Instead they had chained him by one hand to the bars, while they cleared his cell.

The captain was replacing the bedding when it happened. A loud snap and a roar of pain. Krill turned to find the prisoner rushing towards him. One of his hands had been mangled beyond recognition. The man had broken his own thumb in order to slip it from the cuffs.

Krill was knocked out of the way, thrown violently against the wall where he lay dazed and confused.

The thing that had knocked him aside barreled past and slammed into the prisoner.

The captain and the prisoner were tossed to the ground in a heap of thrashing limbs and fists. Krill curled back in terror.

The captain gave a scream and Krill turned away mortified as the prisoner came up for air, Grin dripping with blood.

More solid striking noises. A desperate fight.

Krill peered out from behind his cowering limbs just in time to see the captain demonstrate a human phenomenon he had heard about but never seen. He lifted the prisoner from his chest and hurled him back. So powerful was the throw, that the other man slammed into the wall feet away. He was up in seconds pinning the man back against the wall as teeth snapped inches from his neck.

Krill could hear voices from the other side of the door.

But it was too late, the captain had already made his decision. The knife appeared in his hand a moment later.

Krill had never seen a human fight before much less death. But he watched the knife vanish and then reappear covered in blood first once and then twice then three times. Blood gurgled from the prisoner's mouth in a sputtering laugh.

He collapsed to the floor, and the captain staggered away hands covered in blood. He eyed the corpse long after the heart had failed.

The door was thrown open moments later.

Men rushed in.

They moved towards the captain and the fallen corpse.

Trying to get close, the captain jerked away hands over his face slowly backing away from the other humans.

He backed over to the wall next to krill and slid down. HIs face was pale eyes wide, nothing like his attacker. His skin appeared clammy and cold.

A lot of species are afraid of humans, but oddly enough Krill knew the truth. Humans weren't scary in general. They were protective and aggressive, but they were honest and friendly. Humans were made to adapt well in a social environments, they were good companions to have. Humans that couldn't preform socially were immediately ostracized and rejected by other humans. This is why psychopathy is so profoundly disturbing. The intentional rejection of proper social action makes other humans uncomfortable and even aggressive. It's a primitive response, but useful when you want to know who is and is not dangerous.