It takes a bit of time before she finally caves for directions. She's never been to the medical laboratory and it has to be in a hallway she hasn't yet used. A couple of the troupes were so kind to walk her there.
The door opens for her as she waves good-bye to the troupes and she nearly bounces off a blue protrusion standing in the doorway.
She looks up and though it looks like an awning, she can tell it's a body. The arms move and a low voice comes from the top.
"Hello? Excuse you..."
She steps back and sees his copper-colored face, "Oh hey, are you the new medic?"
"Um...the assistant, Breakdown," A lop-sided smile wiggles across his face, "And you? Do you have a name?"
She extends a hand as she tells him.
He takes her hand gently, and echoes her name respectfully, "It's a pleasure."
"Same," Sonica grins, "Well, dear assistant, is the doc in? It was suggested that I get a once over before going back to work."
"Um, well..." He steps aside and gestures her in, "He's busy outside the ship for now. I can do a few things in his absence. If not, we'll look up your record..."
"We'll be starting one," She gives him a kind smile and walks in, "I haven't been in before."
Breakdown finally relaxes some, as he walks to pick up the screen tablets on the counter by some basic tools, "Are you new here?"
She steps onto the tilted table but props herself up on her elbows, "It's been a couple orbital cycles since my arrival. I guess that's still new..." She thinks aloud to herself, touching her chin with a finger, "Huh, feel longer than that."
He chuckles lightly, "I know what you mean, Sonica."
"Yeah? Have you been here off and on or something?"
"Basically."
Breakdown almost seems to hesitate to change the subject. With an odd shrug of his free arm, he goes for it anyway, "Well, we'll go ahead and start a record. Want to start with your stats?"
"Fragile and complex. That's about all I can give you."
He chuckles again, "I suppose I could type that in there. Numbers would be more helpful."
"I'd give them to you if I knew them. They change."
Now he makes a face, "Change?"
"Do you know the legend of Doradus?"
His head bobs like he scoffs, "The myth of a fountain of energon, guarded by...something...that determines if one is worthy and such. I've heard imaginative stories, yes."
"Is it imagination if you're looking at her?"
His angled personage stops moving.
Sonica continues, as she has explained many times before, "I don't know why they called me a 'fountain'; that's a bit objectifying, but I am an endless provider of energon because I can control it, as Primus and the Thirteen intended. I've reincarnated at least 100 times by now, but my memory isn't big enough to recall everything. My past sisters pick the most important ones and that's what I get- outside the usual knowledge of my abilities. So, because of my abilities to contain energon and my reincarnations, my stats change."
Breakdown hasn't moved.
So, she keeps going: "I've been working a lot lately and I thought I felt something loosen somewhere about my midriff. I just want to be sure I imagined it before I break myself. Chicago still has a ways to go."
Breakdown finally blinks, "Is...is this a joke?"
She keeps a kind smile and lifts an arm. The needle protrudes from her wrist and she pulls out a small ball shape that hovers over her hand. She plays with it by separating it into more orbs and twirling them in a circle.
He stares, unmoving.
To loosen him up, she pulls the energon together, and shapes it into Breakdown's figue.
His optics widen.
With a grin, she makes the figure dance. "Convinced?"
"Great Primus,"
She dissolves the form and tucks in back into the needle before it sinks back in. "You're handling this well, Breakdown."
Though he stands, he doesn't seem alert.
"Will you scan me to start?"
The speaker by the door suddenly pops and Starscream's voice comes through.
"Breakdown, go assist Knockout in retrieving the harvester. A ground bridge waits for you now."
"Or not," Sonica shrugs with a pout.
The harvester relic...Doradus' first lover made that so he could help her out...then Megatronus killed him. What's that thing doing here?
Breakdown glances to the tablet, to her, to the counter, to the tablet again as he sets it down, then glances at the door before looking her in the optics. "Sorry. I have to go."
She gives him a sweet smile, "No worries, Breakdown. Thanks for listening and sorry for startling you."
He tries a smile as he hurries to the door, "I'll...just see you later."
She nods then looks down at the floor after the door shuts; her smile disappears.
Being a doll was so easy; she could just be that without scaring others or awakening their inner conqueror. Bots liked her when they only knew her as a doll; they're their true selves when she isn't herself.
She wants unity between the Decepticons and Autobots...and being herself makes that a challenge that seems too daunting at times. Only when she sees the shock on their faces, like Breakdown's, does she see the long way ahead...if it's even possible in the end.

Sonica refills on the last load under Chicago at the bottom of the lake. Her legs quiver under her but if she doesn't stand now, she may not be able to get up. Just as she thinks this, she falls.
This is the stupidest thing she's ever done. She can't be weak around the Decepticons but she had little choice. If she doesn't prove something, Starscream could use the harvester on her. Though she'd like to think that he wouldn't, she can't get comfortable in any way as long as she's walking among those who follow a tyrant. The are capable of anything.
The only way to find out whether or not she needs to run, is to go up there. But, since she's gone to lengths that will go unappreciated, she may be too exhausted to escape if she needs to.
For now, she'll rest. It's not the amount of energon that tires her, it's all the pushing and pulling. She's meant to suck it up easily and keep it. Her body can hold onto endless amounts for stellar cycles. She can also release it in spurts or all at once; that's not so bad because out is easier. However, she's controlling the amounts, keeping some of it back, and moving it elsewhere at the same time she dispenses and withdraws. It's the concentration and the physical effort to make these tight adjustments without error, that slows her energy and weakens her body.
This was so stupid. If she doesn't recover soon, then what? She's at their mercy? Decepticons have no such attribute.
She thinks of the Autobots and her spark yearns.
If she was doing this for them, Ratchet would've had her stop before this. He would've checked her health about ten times before this limit- he wouldn't have let her get to this point, period. Optimus would've been patient in her progress; she wouldn't feel she had to hurry to prove her worth. He would demand she listen to Ratchet. Arcee would've parted some wisdom with that clever smirk she has. Bee would've been taking her duties, doubling his, to keep her from falling behind. Bulkhead would praise her toughness and give the softest knuckle bumps. The kids would be doing similar things, like their Autobot pals.
Knowing this makes her think of quitting this facade. What she misses most is the smiles there; even Optimus', as small as they usually are.
Smiles are rare on the Nemesis; that makes her tired too. Most of the time, she feels she's the only one who smiles at all. It's not just the work, it's the toll taken daily on her spark, just being present there.
A his of a ground bridge opens above and nearly scares the life out of her.
Soundwave lowers a tentacle through, but it stops over her head.
"Oh hey," She fakes it with much effort, "Yes, I'm done. Just enjoying the water."
Now for the ultimate test: standing.
She moves slowly, making herself seem like she's just lazy, and rolls a little to put up a leg. Glancing up at the watching tentacle, she groans like she complains so that putting momentum into her getting up doesn't look so feeble.
She's on her feet, but she's not going to last long. It's just enough to reach up, grab the tentacle, and be hoisted up through the bridge.
Starscream is immediately there when she's brought up and set down.
Embarrassingly, her dripping echoes across the bridge.
"Are you finished?"
"Once I deposit it, yes."
"Good." He turns to his computers, "Set course for the arctic."
Anger flares, and she struggles to control it, "Take you time, Lord. I need a break and perhaps some rehab." Thankfully, the anger gives her enough spite to stay on her feet; even stomp a little, to stop the dripping. She raises her wings and shoves them down quickly; some drops slap the ground in a small ripple.
Soundwave still stands next to her; staring. She ignores him, and continues shaking water off.
When she looks up from her mess, Starscream stares at her.
"What?" She jumps the gun a little, "You have the harvester now, right? Am I being retired?"
"The harvester was destroyed by the fat green Autobot,"
Just because it will hack off everyone; including herself: "Yay, I keep my job..." she sings loudly. Kill me, are her ending thoughts.
Starscream's tone stays soft, "Complete the task, then go see Knockout- he should be there this time- then return to your quarters."
The anger simmers, and she dismisses herself. As she turns, she sways; hard. A curse escapes just before Soundwave's arm keeps her from falling forwards. Sonica grimaces. He knows. That's bad.
"Thanks," She tries to smooth it over, "but I had it. I'm fine."
He doesn't believe her, she can sense it in the sub-audible waves he sends through his body; usually through the floor.
Sonica musters all her will, and forces it into her limbs to move as told. "I'll take it from here, Soundwave." She gives him a sarcastic smirk, "But I appreciate the thought."
Her walk probably looks strange, but she keep her head up. She musters all confidence into guiding her movements; they must be elegant. She's not weak and will not allow herself to be, ever.

"Sonica," Breakdown nods as she walks in.
She returns the gesture, "Breakdown,"
"Eclipse?"
She blinks meeting his wide, red optics, "Wait..." then she examines him, "Oh Primus, you're Knockout."
"You remember me?" He glows.
Sonica's previous anger evaporates, "Oh yes, I remember. Every detailing appointment, I hoped it was you. The red looks amazing, by the way."
His brow jumps, "Oh scrap, what color was I wearing when you saw me last?"
She cringes, "Magenta."
He slumps and Breakdown turns to him.
"Magenta?"
"Those were not good stellar cycles. Don't ask."
Sonica laughs, "It's alright, Knockout, I fell for that fad too. My former job just got me out of it sooner."
Breakdown glances between her and his partner, "Fad? There was a magenta fad?"
Knockout lifts his head and set his hands on his hips, "We don't talk about it, Breakdown. Pretend you never heard, and you won't be missing a thing."
"I can second that," She smiles, and it's almost as big as the one she shares with the Autobots.
"Well hey, it's a pleasure regardless. It's good to see you again."
Knockout shares a small smile, "Likewise, Eclipse."
"It's just Sonica now."
He nods, "Alright then, Sonica, what are you in for?"
"Overworked, basically." She lays back on the table and rehearses for him what she did before.
Knockout nods and takes the scanner from Breakdown, who's suddenly a bit rigid. The scan completes, and he scrolls through the reports.
"Knockout... she's Doradus."
Sonica smothers a sigh and closes her rolling optics.
He turns to him, "What?"