When he came to, Ian was on the floor, with all three of the Ancients kneeling down beside him, and Alexander's hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He squinted against the stabbing pain in his skull, and tried looking up at them – even though the room seemed incredibly bright all of the sudden.

"What the fuck was that?"

Alexander had the grace to look apologetic.

"It wasn't exactly supposed to do that – at least we didn't expect it to."

"I hope not," Ian said, scowling. His head hurt so bad he couldn't seem to focus properly, and Sander frowned, and put his hand against Ian's temple. Almost immediately the pain eased, although it didn't vanish completely. "What was it?"

"A test."

"Yeah? If it was to see how quickly I could fall on my ass I'd say I passed with flying colors."

"It was not."

No shit.

"So what was it?"

"You know of the Asgard?"

"Yeah. They're the Roswell looking aliens – Thor's one of them."

Alexander nodded.

"The Asgard have a device they use for instant learning. A device that will automatically instill knowledge in a being's mind – without that person actually needing to learn the knowledge in advance."

"Nifty."

"Indeed. They have had the technology for millennium, but have not had need for it for centuries…"

"What does that have to do with this?"

"We gave them the technology. And just used a version of it on you."

Ian rubbed his temple – it felt like there were hundreds of little pins trying to poke themselves through his skull – although it didn't hurt as bad as it had before.

"So you taught me something?"

Taught him not to stick his fucking head in anything they told him to – ever again.

"We had hoped to," Sander said, shrugging. "What we have accomplished, we're not entirely sure."

"What?"

"We're not sure what you'll remember and what you won't. The only other time we've used the device on a full human, it nearly killed him. This time-"

"It nearly killed him?" Ian repeated, incredulously. "I thought you guys were-"

"We've modified it since then, Ian," Dotty assured him. "There was far less trauma this time, and with your special abilities you should be able to handle it – the knowledge will be imparted in gradual increments over the course of several months – perhaps longer."

"What kind of knowledge?"

"Knowledge of us – of our kind and some of our technology. Things that we believe may come in handy in the near future."

"Things…" Ian frowned, but he really couldn't focus his thoughts just then. "Have you done this to me in any of the other realities?"

They all three shook their heads.

"So you don't know what's going to happen?"

"No."

"Well, this is really fucking great." Ian dragged himself to his feet – his very unsteady feet that were attached to very wobbly legs – and jerked his arm free when Alexander reached out to steady him. "You're telling me I might die any time, now, thanks to your fucking little testing device?"

"Of course not."

"We'd never risk you like that," Dotty added, frowning. Surely the boy knew that? Hadn't she just told him what he meant to them – and to her? Well, her other self, but it was her, just the same. "The device won't hurt you. We just don't know what you will remember and what the device will wipe from your memory to protect your health."

It was Ian's turn to frown, now. He was fairly certain that it wasn't going to be able to wipe anything from his mind.

"What if it doesn't?"

"It's designed to."

"Was it designed to almost kill the last guy you used it on?"

Touché

"It's not the same device, Ian," Alexander assured him. "Over the next few months you'll simply find yourself remembering things that you never actually learned – about people and things that you've never seen before."

"And with your ability to remember things, chances are you'll be able to recall them when you need to."

Ian's anger burned off a little. The thought of learning new things was always interesting to him, and the thought of learning things that could be so far-fetched was even moreso.

"What will I learn?" He asked again. "Exactly?"

"For one thing, it'll teach you the languages of several races that you don't know-"

"Japanese?" He'd always planned on learning that.

Dotty shook her head, smiling.

"Goa'uld. Ancient. Unas. Fu-"

"I don't know what a Goa'uld or an Unas is."

"You will."

"These are races of people?"

"Yes. Unas probably won't be necessary, but it was in the program – since they're a race that are almost as ancient as we are – although they are far more primitive."

"How do you know I'm not going to use all this knowledge to take over the universe?"

"Do you want to take over the universe?" Alexander asked.

He didn't even want to take over the Freshman class at the Academy.

"Not especially."

Dotty smiled.

"We have a fair idea of the man you are, Ian. We're not all that worried about you trying to become a system lord."

He'd heard the phrase system lord, before. One of the Jaffa on Chulak had used the word to describe those they were rebelling against when he'd been visiting Bra'tac for the first time. He hadn't expanded on it, and Ian had been too busy – and uninterested – to ask. Obviously, though, he wasn't going to become a system lord. He was an asshole, but he wasn't going to try to take over an entire race of people.

"What we are worried about is making sure that Jack O'Neill has as much support as he can be given," Alexander said, seriously. "As we've already told you; we're determined that the future of your reality is far better than that of many of those that have passed. We're going to do all we can to make that happen – which means giving you knowledge that none of your people – save one – have ever possessed before, and trusting you to use it wisely."

"So what do I do?"

"For now… nothing. The memories won't harm you and the knowledge won't be anything more than a distraction at times. By the time summer comes, you should fully possess whatever you will know, and we'll arrange a way to spend time with you on your vacation – hopefully giving you an opportunity to apply some of that knowledge before things come to a head."

"Are things coming to a head?"

Sander nodded.

"They are. In some realities they already have. With disastrous results for your people, and mine – and several others."

"When are they going to-"

"We don't know. We won't know until it happens."

Ian scowled. That wasn't much help.

"Whenever it happens, it doesn't matter right now," Alexander said, suddenly. "Right now, we need to get you back to your place and time before anyone realizes you're missing."

Since he didn't have a clue how they were keeping people from worrying already, Ian simply shrugged.

"Are we done here?"

"For now."

"Will I be coming back?"

Sander smiled, and gestured for him to follow Alexander and Dotty towards the door.

"That's up to you. When you're ready to decide, we'll be waiting."

Well, that made about as much sense as anything else he'd been told, Ian decided, rubbing his head once more and heading for the door. He nodded a goodbye to Sander, and left the lab, walking with Dotty and Alexander towards the Gateship berths.