Location: Stargate Command, Infirmary
Time: The next day

Back at the SGC, James sat on one of the infirmary beds while Dr. Fraiser ran a series of tests on him. The rest of SG-1 waited anxiously nearby, wondering just how much damage, if any, the massive data download had caused.

"I'm fine," James insisted for the third time. "Just a little headache. Nothing serious."

"You've been through a lot, James," Dr. Fraiser said, scanning him with her medical equipment. "This kind of thing isn't normal. Even by our standards."

"I know," he said, sighing. "But I can control it. I just need time to sort through all the data."

"You downloaded an entire Ancient database," Samantha said, clearly amazed. "That's beyond anything we've ever encountered."

James chuckled. "Yeah, and it's giving me a whole new perspective. I can already think of a dozen ways to upgrade our defenses."

Jack folded his arms, eyeing James with mild suspicion. "Just remember, more power doesn't always mean better decisions. We've seen that before."

"I get it, Jack," James replied, meeting his gaze. "I'll be careful."

[New Skill Unlocked: Stargate Network Mastery]
Grants an unparalleled understanding of the Stargate network, including the ability to modify gate functions and access hidden systems.

"I'm also going to need to test something soon," James said, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "With the knowledge I have now, I think I can control the Stargate in ways we never thought possible."

Samantha perked up at that. "Like what? You mean dialing to previously unreachable places?"

James nodded. "Or activating the Stargate remotely, modifying its wormhole stability… maybe even shielding it from unwanted travelers."

Jack groaned. "Great, more toys for you to play with."

James smirked. "Come on, it'll be fun."

As they finished up in the infirmary, General Hammond summoned them back to the briefing room for a full debrief. There was a lot to unpack from the mission, and James knew they were just scratching the surface of what the Ancients had left behind.

As he stood up, a sharp, burning sensation shot through his mind.

[Warning: Mental Overload Detected]
[You are using too much Ancient knowledge too quickly. Mental strain imminent.]

James staggered, clutching his head as the pain intensified.

"James!" Samantha shouted, rushing to his side. "What's happening?"

"I… I'm fine," he gasped, struggling to remain conscious. "Just… too much at once."

Dr. Fraiser was instantly by his side. "You need to slow down. That download put a lot of strain on your mind."

James nodded, breathing heavily. "Yeah. I'll take it easy."

But as he followed the team out of the infirmary, a thought gnawed at him. He couldn't slow down. The knowledge was growing too fast inside his mind, and the Goa'uld would come for him if they sensed his power. He needed to control it—before it controlled him.

A/N: The AI gets a bit weird with "power sensing"... /