The pilot drained his Lavian Brandy and punched in his credit chit to pay the 50,000 credit bar tab, throwing Nihlus a dejected sneer on his way out which Nihlus returned with a lopsided grin.
Nihlus loved that look, he lived for it. Every man and woman who'd ever sat across the bar from him had that look at one time or another. Broken, each and every one. Some maintained their optimism for a while, they usually fell hardest or were swallowed up by one of the backwater piss ant excuses for gangs in their insect tier ships, hassling miners for scraps, all thinking the same thing:
"I want to die"
The words slid from Nihlus' mouth in a whisper of smoke from the cigarettes that he was often criticised for, smoking in a pressurised high oxygen atmosphere is generally frowned upon.
Nihlus pulled down the shutter and locked up then made his way to the back rooms where the pleasure droids were. He walked straight past the first, a stunning silver haired retro sex fantasy complete with silver mini dress. He continued past the second, a six boobed, two headed Vag-o-matic 3000. He approached the third and briskly removed her platform heels and fishnets, then sat down and put them on himself, cigarette still smoking.
He sat there for some time, naked but for the lingerie and stilettos, just smoking and pondering the pilots expression, that utter defeat, and gripped the butt of his cigarette between his teeth in a crooked smile.
"I want to die." He said again, smoke pouring from his grinning mouth, and began plotting a route back to Sol