Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Chapter 18

Dock Level 3, Dolo-Mayan

30 minutes after the departure of Peter and the Guardians

"You didn't have to do this, you know." Nebula folded her arms over her chest as she surveyed the small team of Ravager mechanics servicing the Bowie's broken engine.

Gamora smiled. "Oh, I know. But it's the least I could do, considering I might not be able to fulfill your original request."

Nebula stiffened at her words. It was an issue they'd discussed on their walk from the Ravagers' ship to the Bowie, but it certainly wasn't one she wanted to discuss anymore. If anything, she'd foolishly hoped her sister would come to a silent agreement with her plan and never question it again.

"I just think it's impossible to predict how the High Priestess will react to anyone offering peace, much less me." Gamora shrugged. "I mean, from what you've told me, my variant pissed her off just as much as the rest of Quirl's team."

"Quill," Nebula corrected her dryly. "And I know it's risky, but I'd like to think the Sovereign are reasonable enough."

"Yes, the people who built an entire being to hunt down a band of ragtag heroes are reasonable."

Nebula resisted an eye roll. She'd never been a fan of Gamora's dry observations before, and now they weren't even coming from her technical sister. Still, she clung to the title. Sister. It made things feel normal, and this Gamora seemed to recognize it as partly true, unlike some of her other relationships.

"Look, I don't have many options here. I'm the only one working off reasonability, and...well, you're really the only person outside the Guardians I have contact with."

Her sister chuckled. "I can't imagine a team where the most level-headed person is you." She paused, her tone growing serious again. "But you couldn't borrow contacts from any of your little friends?"

Nebula huffed. "They wouldn't understand. The rest of the crew is of the fighter mentality. The only way they'll settle our past with the Sovereign is by beating the warlock. Mantis might be more reasonable, but she's an...optimist." Nebula shuddered at the word, feeling weaker just for having said it aloud.

She waited, expecting a clever solution or difficult question in response, but instead, there was a beat of silence before Gamora asked, "And Quill?"

Nebula stared at her. She'd known this would come up eventually, but it didn't make it any easier to apologize for. "I promise you he isn't usually like that—"

"I'm not talking about the meeting." Gamora paused. "You said most of your crew are fighters. But he doesn't seem..."

"Tough? Strong? Emotionally stable?" The pair shared a laugh before Nebula shook her head. "No. Peter's a fighter. He's just unconventional in his methods. And in the battles he chooses to fight." Another beat of silence passed between the two before she dared to add, "And I'm not sure he'd even be helpful, considering how he's been on late."

Gamora's brow furrowed. "How's that?"

Nebula sighed. They were headed into dangerous territory now. "Oh, nothing terrible. He's just been unfocused, tired, prone to abusing libations." She glanced over at his sister. "All because of you."

At her words, Gamora stiffened. "Not me."

"Right." Nebula looked away, her gaze settling on the Bowie and its new repairmen. "But who you were to him. To us." She sighed. "Sometimes, I think he forgets that he wasn't the only one that lost our Gamora."

A heavy silence settled between the two, one Nebula feared might break what little hopes she had to salvaging Gamora's help in their situation, but before she could begin to dwell on it, her attention was snapped away by the sight of a small, furry creature ambling up the ramp of the Bowie.

"Hey!" Nebula clapped her hands in an attempt to scare the creature off, but she only succeeded in making it scurry further into the ship. "Get back here, you little...where the hell did that thing come from?"

"It's ours." Gamora offered her a guilty half-smile. "We picked it up at the last port we were at. Don't ask me what it is, but the crew likes to bring it around with them." She sighed before starting off towards the ship. "Come on, I'll help you get him out."

She said it so nonchalantly, as if finding a small furry creature on a massive spaceship would be an easy job, but Nebula's reluctance seemed to make her aware of such an issue.

"Oh, come on." Gamora waved her over. "We've hunted grown men across seven star systems. Surely we can find one little critter."

"You'd be surprised." Nebula raised her eyebrows as she followed after her sister, her mind drifting to thoughts of the Bowie's usual captain. "This ship has a tendency of favoring those."