The first thing Nebula did was get herself a new hand. The old one, the one that Gamora had touched, suddenly seemed wrong. Besides, it was unlikely that she would be able to return to the rubble and find it again. Already, the planet Xandar was rebuilding itself, hoping to look beyond a world of war and rebuild itself from the ashes.
If only everyone knew what to do that easily.
It was not hard to get a new hand at least. Prosthetics were common in the galaxy, and soon enough Nebula found one in a store a little outside of Knowhere.
No one there recognized her, but she recognized it. Though space was empty and dark, she recognized the patch of space Gamora had been in instantly. For a moment, she did not have a new hand and new ship, and her sister was still floating out in space all alone.
Then, she blinked and the world was as it was.
Her new disguise was quite practical, changing her just enough that no one who did not know her well could look right past her.
Her new hand was grey and shiny, reflecting her face back towards her. Even with her new look, Nebula recognized exactly who she was.
She supposed that she should return to her father, but every time the thought crossed her mind her mouth soured. Part of her doubted that he would even care if she returned.
So, she wondered. Space was good for that, reaching out into forever. It was surprising just how nice a peaceful, wondering lifestyle could be. There were no orders and no one to kill - she was her own boss, and she was the one who decided when and where it was right to raise her sword.
Yet no matter how far she went, she could not forget. Gamora remained in her mind, a figment in her dreams that was always just out of her reach.
It did not help that she was always on the news. People praised her now, called her a hero.
Always, she was shown inside of a ship next to the rest of her crew. She was easy to spot - everyone on the ship was so fundamentally different from one another that sometimes it was hard to believe that her sister felt comfortable there.
Part of Nebula had to wonder to the what ifs.
If a green girl could fit so well on the ship, then surely a blue one could as well. Even Gamora had realized that, offering her sister a chance at her side.
And, somehow for some reason (would she ever remember what had made her refuse?), she had declared no.