......................................................................................................

On the beach of Africa's Ivory Coast, Scully tries to piece together the cryptic symbols on the surface of the beached spaceship, hoping to find some answers to save the life of her ailing partner. Mulder contracted his illness after coming in contact with a carbon rubbing from the craft. While working late one night she does not notice a primitive African warrior who appears and then disappears. Thousands of bugs instantly swarm inside the tent. The next morning, an African biology professor named Amina Ngebe arrives at the camp to help Scully with the research. Amina warns Scully not to tell the African men hired to unearth the spaceship about the bugs because they would consider it an omen. After that, one of the workers in the ocean screams in pain as if he had been boiled in the water. At the sight of his blistered skin, Amina tells Scully that this is another warning.

Skinner goes to visit Mulder in the padded cell of a Washington hospital. He tries to speak to him, but Mulder attacks and is placed in restraints. Outside the cell, Skinner realizes he has a note in his pocket: a ripped cloth with the words "help me" written in dried blood. He sees Mulder again and manages to discern a name. Although reluctant at first, Michael Kritschgau (last seen in "Redux" and "Redux II") is persuaded by Skinner to see Mulder. Kritschgau explains that he has witnessed this condition before in a CIA study of ESP. The electrical impulses in Mulder's brain are working harder than his body can sustain. Kritschgau has Skinner inject Phenytoin, causing an immediate effect in awakening Mulder. Diana Fowley attempts to intervene but Skinner, in an attempt to keep his dealings with Kritschgau secretive, dismisses her. Kritschgau puts a more responsive Mulder through a battery of tests with video monitors to determine his brain's over-activity and psychic ability.

Dr. Barnes (from "Biogenesis") arrives at Scully's tent to help her read the symbols but she is wary of him. The water around the spaceship turns into blood--another omen--and again Scully sees the manifestation of the primitive African man. Scully and Amina figure out that the symbols describe human genetics and ancient religious passages. In a delirious frenzy, Barnes claims that the spaceship is the ultimate source of power--the source of life itself--and traps the two women in the tent to ensure that he gets all the credit. Barnes' sack rumbles underneath a table. The fish he caught have magically come back to life, but only in Barnes' mind. This proves to him his theory that the spaceship is an animating force. Scully takes advantage of the opportunity to hit Barnes so that she and Amina can escape. The women frantically drive for help, but on the desolate road Scully sees the primitive African man in their path. She yells for Amina to stop the car, but the man has disappeared. Suddenly the man is in Amina's place and tells Scully, "Some truths are not for you." In the next instant he turns back into Amina. Scully tells her that she needs to get home.

Skinner and Kritschgau inject Mulder with an even greater dose in order to free him from the hospital. But when Diana rushes in with the doctor to confront Skinner, Mulder lapses into violent convulsions. Early the next morning, Diana pledges her love to the sedate Mulder. She vows to help him and not let him die. As she leaves, Mulder's eyes follow her--he cannot speak, but he has heard every word she said. At the beach, Barnes' driver comes into the seemingly empty tent and Barnes slashes him in the neck with a machete. Barnes places the man's body in the spot where the fish came to life. Later, Barnes discovers the driver's body gone and he goes out to the shoreline to look for him. The driver has returned to life, and strikes Barnes with the same machete.

Scully goes to Skinner in Washington and demands to see Mulder. Skinner tries to convey Mulder's impending death. Scully responds that Mulder is more alive than ever, acknowledging that the cause may be extraterrestrial. Skinner warns her that the security in the hospital will deny her access. An emotional Scully pleads with Mulder to hold on. He is unresponsive.

Amina returns to the beach with the police. They find Barnes' body in the ocean, but the spacecraft has disappeared.

TO BE CONTINUED


................... CREDITS .....................

"THE SIXTH EXTINCTION"
#7ABX03
Original Air Date: 11/7/99

Written by Chris Carter
Directed by Kim Manners

Starring:
DAVID DUCHOVNY as Special Agent Fox Mulder
GILLIAN ANDERSON as Special Agent Dana Scully

Also Starring:
Mitch Pileggi as AD Walter Skinner
Mimi Rogers as Agent Diana Fowley
John Finn as Michael Kritschgau
Michael Ensign as Dr. Barnes
Jo Nell Kennedy as Amina Ngebe
Conrad Roberts as Primitive African Man
Warren Sweeney as Dr. Harriman
Mari Weiss as ICU Nurse
Abdoulaye N'Gom as Driver
Anthony Okungbowa as Barnes' Driver