Season 6 · Episode 22

Biogenesis

Character-labelled dialogue prepared from the official DVD subtitle track.

Production code6ABX22Original airdate · May 16, 1999

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267 dialogue entries

Scene 01

Dana Scully

From space, it seems an abstraction, a magician's trick on a darkened stage. And from this distance one might never imagine... That it is alive. It first appeared in the sea almost four billion years ago... In the form of single-celled life. In an explosion of life spanning millions of years, nature's first multicellular organisms began to multiply. And then it stopped. Four hundred and forty million years ago, a great mass extinction would kill off... Nearly every species on the planet, leaving the vast oceans decimated and empty. Slowly, plants began to evolve, then insects, only to be wiped out in the second great mass extinction upon the earth. The cycle repeated again and again. Reptiles emerging independent of the sea, only to be killed off. Then dinosaurs struggling to life... Along with the first birds, fish and flowering plants. Their decimations-- earth's fourth and fifth great extinctions. Only a hundred thousand years ago... Homo sapiens appear-- man. From cave paintings to the bible... To columbus and apollo 11, we have been a tireless force... Upon the earth and off, cataloging the natural world as it unfolds to us, rising to a world population of over five billion people... All descended from that original single cell, that first spark of life. But for all our knowledge, what no one can say for certain... Is what or who ignited that original spark. Is there a plan, a purpose or a reason to our existence? Will we pass, as those before us, into oblivion... Into the sixth extinction that scientists warn is already in progress?

[ speaking native language ]

Dana Scully

Or will the mystery be revealed... Through a sign? A symbol? A revelation?

African man

Professor! Professor! Professor! Two more! Two more!

[ dialing rotary phone ]

Scene 03

UNIVERSITE COTE D'IVOIRE

Dr. Merkmallen

Yes, get me the international operator, please. I need to place a call to the united states.

Scene 05

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

Dr. Merkmallen

Excuse me. I'm looking for the biology department for a professor Sandoz.

[ chittering ]

Dr. Merkmallen

Dr. Sandoz? Professor Sandoz, I'm Solomon Merkmallen.

Man

Dr. Merkmallen. My god, I thought something had happened to you.

Dr. Merkmallen

Oh? Did you not get my message? We were delayed in frankfurt.

Man

Look, the important thing is you're here now and you're safe.

Dr. Merkmallen

Yes.

Man

Now, you brought me something, this discovery of yours.

Dr. Merkmallen

Yes.

Man

I'm quite anxious to see it.

Dr. Merkmallen

I was concerned I might be relieved of it in customs. There was some trouble with the x-Ray machine in germany.

Man

What kind of trouble did you have?

Dr. Merkmallen

I told you of its power.

Man

Yes, of course.

Dr. Merkmallen

My credentials were the only thing that prevented me from being further detained.

[ monkeys screeching ]

Dr. Merkmallen

I can't explain how it is, but the two pieces have become one. I was hoping they'd match the piece that you found... So that you might see for yourself its magic.

Man

Have you had any luck reading it?

Dr. Merkmallen

You're not dr. Sandoz, are you?

[ grunts ] [ scuffling ]

[ screeching continues ]

[ gasps ]

Scene 06

FBI HEADQUARTERS

Walter Skinner

A case like this, I, of course, thought of your obvious interest, dr. Merkmallen's views and theories being what they were. I believe agent Mulder is familiar with his work.

Dana Scully

Dr. Solomon Merkmallen, professor of biology, university of ivory coast.

Walter Skinner

He flew in yesterday from africa. Two hours later, he was apparently murdered at American university. His body is missing, but there was enough blood found to make a fair assumption. A couple of students also confirmed that they spoke to him... When he asked for directions to find dr. Steven Sandoz, also a professor of biology.

Fox Mulder

Both men espouse a fringe theory called panspermia. It's the belief that life originated--

Dana Scully

Elsewhere in this universe.

Walter Skinner

You've heard of this?

Dana Scully

Yeah. It's the idea that mars or other planets... Were habitable long before earth... And that cosmic collisions on these planets... Blasted microbes into our solar system, some of which landed and flourished here.

Walter Skinner

You'd accept that as plausible?

Dana Scully

Well, almost any scientist would... Theoretically. It's just a theory. That's about it though. You don't think this has anything to do with his death, do you?

Walter Skinner

Dr. Merkmallen found an artifact in his country. This is a rubbing of that artifact. He claimed it contained a message, not only of his mars theories... But the very meaning of human existence.

Dana Scully

Much less plausible.

Fox Mulder

Dr. Sandoz, the man he'd come to meet, made a similar claim in a science journal. He said he'd found an artifact almost identical to that with similar writings on it.

Dana Scully

And what was it supposed to say?

Fox Mulder

We'd have to ask dr. Sandoz that.

Dana Scully

Well, why don't we?

Fox Mulder

We can't. He's missing.

[ chattering ]

Dana Scully

What are we doing, Mulder? This is a police matter at best.

Fox Mulder

Skinner wants us on the case.

Dana Scully

Are you gonna try to convince me you have no personal interest in this case?

Fox Mulder

I am just a hired gun for the FBI

Dana Scully

Oh, come on.

Fox Mulder

I wonder if there's something to this.

Dana Scully

Two men suggesting that we're all martians. Why would they possibly come into foul play?

Fox Mulder

That's what we're being asked to figure out.

Dana Scully

I can't believe you'd stand here and--

[ ringing, indistinct voices echoing ]

Dana Scully

There has to be some limit-- I mean, this endless pursuit of the truth, Mulder, it just doesn't make any sense to me now. Mulder? Did you hear a word of what I just said?

Fox Mulder

No.

Dana Scully

No. Well, maybe you didn't want to hear it.

Fox Mulder

No, I-- I couldn't hear it.

Dana Scully

Mulder-- look, after all you've done, after all you've uncovered-- a conspiracy of men doing human experiments? Men who are all now dead. You exposed their secrets. I mean, you've won. What more could you possibly hope to do or to find?

Fox Mulder

My sister.

[ officers chattering ]

Scene 07

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

Dana Scully

I guess I was right about this being a police matter. Detective.

Detective

[ man ] can I help you?

Dana Scully

Agents Mulder and Scully with the FBI what do you have here?

Detective

Probable weapon. Blood and hair on it. Looks like prints too.

Dana Scully

Any word on this dr. Sandoz?

Detective

No. But we're being told the prints are likely his.

Dana Scully

Told by whom?

Detective

The man your partner's speaking with.

Fox Mulder

I'm Fox Mulder with the FBI

Dr. Barnes

I'm dr. Barnes, head of the department. They've asked me to suspend classes and organize interviews with the faculty.

Fox Mulder

Any ideas yourself about what happened here?

Dr. Barnes

There's plenty of speculation.

Fox Mulder

About the missing dr. Sandoz?

Dr. Barnes

Apart from his laughable ideas, my colleague was capable... Of almost anything to advance his rather questionable reputation.

Dana Scully

Capable of murder?

Dr. Barnes

Dr. Sandoz's notes are full of talk about an artifact coming over from west africa. But like the man who was bringing it, that artifact has yet to be located.

Dana Scully

Are you speaking of this?

[ ringing, voices echoing ]

Dana Scully

Mulder?

Dr. Barnes

You know, dr. Sandoz believes this writing was from aliens. He's a trivial man. They have no patience for the scientific process. They're happy to read their names in the tabloids.

Unidentified speaker

Pseudoscientists.

Dr. Barnes

Beyond embarrassment.

Dana Scully

What is it, Mulder?

Fox Mulder

I don't know. This, uh, hollow noise. The same thing that happened to me at work in the elevator this morning.

Dana Scully

Do you have a fever?

Fox Mulder

No. This sounds weird, but I think it's that thing.

Dana Scully

You're not kidding. It's just a piece of paper.

Scene 08

Chuck Burks

Well, I recognize the ideography.

Dana Scully

You're late.

Fox Mulder

I'm sorry. I thought this was my office.

Chuck Burks

Fox!

Dana Scully

I called Chuck... 'cause I knew you would for authentication, and to get his professional opinion on how you say it's affecting you.

Chuck Burks

Fascinating, Mulder.

Fox Mulder

You don't believe it, Chuck?

Chuck Burks

No, no. You know me. This is right up my twisted little alley. So, uh, what exactly are you experiencing?

Fox Mulder

Noise, aural dissonance. It comes and it goes.

Dana Scully

Is it happening right now?

Fox Mulder

No, but it was a few minutes ago.

Chuck Burks

And it's only affecting you? Triggered by the rubbing. Wow. That blows me away.

Fox Mulder

Why?

Dana Scully

Because the rubbing is a fake. And I'm not the first one to say so.

Chuck Burks

The writing is cree, phonetic navajo, but no literal interpretation makes any sense.

Dana Scully

The fact it was found in africa makes it more suspicious as a fabrication.

Fox Mulder

Suspicious of what?

Chuck Burks

Do you know what a magic square is?

Fox Mulder

Yeah, it has to do with the occult.

Chuck Burks

Right. Very cool. They first appear in the ninth century in history. But, uh... As the story goes, god himself instructed adam in their use, and then handed down the secret to all his saints and prophets and wise men... As a way of trapping and storing potential power... To the person whose name or numerical correlative exercises that power.

Fox Mulder

That's what this thing is?

Dana Scully

That's what someone would have you to believe this is.

Fox Mulder

How do you know that?

Dana Scully

As it turns out, neither of us had to go very far to find out. Barnes documented Sandoz's fakery once before. If he was blunt about his colleague when we met him, in here he is downright brutal.

Fox Mulder

Does he back any of that up?

Dana Scully

Well, it's quite scholarly, actually.

Chuck Burks

Barnes has made something of a career... Exposing science and religious fraud. Name your wonder of the world, he's been there, debunked that.

Fox Mulder

Yeah, but wouldn't it be in his great interest... To hide something that he couldn't disprove with his scholarship?

Dana Scully

Mulder, if it were real, then why would an American indian artifact... Be fused in rock on the west coast of the african continent?

Fox Mulder

In 1996, a rock from mars was found in antarctica. How did it get there?

Dana Scully

It was from outer space.

Chuck Burks

Begs the question, doesn't it? Why produce a fraud with navajo writing... In africa?

[ ringing ]

Dana Scully

Mulder? Hey. No, no, no. Step outside. Step outside.

[ door opens, closes ]

Dana Scully

You're in pain.

Fox Mulder

No, no, it's going away.

Dana Scully

Mulder, whatever's causing this, I think it needs immediate attention. I'm gonna schedule you an imaging scan.

Fox Mulder

No, I'm okay. I really am.

Dana Scully

You're not okay. If nothing else, you should be at home in bed.

Fox Mulder

I'm not going home to bed, Scully. I think I know what's causing this. I know what happened to those two professors and that artifact. I had a sense of it yesterday when I met that man Barnes.

Dana Scully

You had a sense of it?

Fox Mulder

Yes. This man Solomon Merkmallen is dead. Barnes knows it. He killed him-- killed him in that lab.

Dana Scully

I hope you're not going to suggest we arrest him on that rather baseless assumption.

Fox Mulder

No, I'm not. Not until after I show you what he did with the body.

Scene 09

SANDOZ RESIDENCE

Landlord

I've been all through the place. You know what you're looking for?

Fox Mulder

We'll let you know if we find it.

Landlord

Ah. Cops have been here, too, you know. They couldn't find nothin' either.

[ scoffs ]

Dana Scully

I'll come get you--

Landlord

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Fox Mulder

Whatever happened to dr. Sandoz, he certainly liked to fly south for the winter... A lot. Gallup, New Mexico. Navajo country.

Dana Scully

I think I know who he was going to see.

Fox Mulder

That's albert holstein.

Dana Scully

A world war ii code talker.

Fox Mulder

Maybe he was using him to read the symbols on the artifact.

Dana Scully

Or write them. Mulder, you also said that we'd find a body. Care to make good on that prediction?

Fox Mulder

Scully, you packing any latex?

Dana Scully

No. Why?

Fox Mulder

Doesn't it smell like somebody forgot to take out the garbage? [ insects buzzing ] ooh!

Unidentified speaker

Ooh!

Dana Scully

Oh, god! Phew! Oh!

Scene 10

Walter Skinner

So you think dr. Sandoz is innocent?

Fox Mulder

He's afraid for his life because of what he knows and what he has.

Walter Skinner

This.

Fox Mulder

A genuine artifact. One of several pieces of an unknown hull. Dr. Barnes has one now too. That's why he killed Solomon Merkmallen.

Walter Skinner

But the way his body was disposed of--

Fox Mulder

Was to incriminate Sandoz, to make him look like the killer. It's also to hide something that no one would think to look for. Scully, could you please tell... What your medical exam found in the lab report?

Dana Scully

Parts of his body were missing-- his arms, his hands, uh, parts of his vital organs and his thyroid.

Fox Mulder

All of which would retain telltale traces of radiation.

Walter Skinner

Radiation from what?

Fox Mulder

The artifact.

Dana Scully

On agent Mulder's urging, I ran tissue samples... Through what's called a charged particle directional spectrometer. There were traces of a kind of radiation called c.g.r.

Fox Mulder

Cosmic galactic radiation. It's a type of radiation that's found only outside our solar system.

Walter Skinner

Agent Scully?

Dana Scully

I don't know how to explain it, but I feel that we can make an arrest.

Fox Mulder

Oh, forget the arrest. We've got to find these artifacts.

Walter Skinner

[ ringing ] agent Mulder?

Fox Mulder

Is there someone else on this case, sir?

Walter Skinner

Excuse me?

Fox Mulder

There's someone else on this case you're not telling me.

Walter Skinner

What the hell is he talking about?

Fox Mulder

I hear it in my head.

Dana Scully

Mulder, let's go.

[ voices echoing ]

Dana Scully

Mulder, you're losing it.

Fox Mulder

No, I'm not. Listen to me. He's not telling the truth. I'm hearing people. He's spying on us.

Dana Scully

Mulder, you need to see a doctor.

Fox Mulder

I need to find those artifacts.

Dana Scully

I'll find the artifacts. You need to go home right now. Mulder?

[ door opens, closes ]

[ approaching footsteps ]

[ chattering ]

Scene 11

SOUTHWESTERN GENERAL HOSPITAL

Nurse

Is there something you're looking for?

Dana Scully

Yes, I was looking to speak to mr. Holstein.

Nurse

Mr. Holstein cannot accept any visitors at this time.

Dana Scully

I understand. I saw him wheeled out of here in an emergency. What's wrong with him?

Nurse

I'm not allowed to give out that kind of information.

Dana Scully

I know him. He's helped me in the past. I'm sure that he wouldn't mind you telling me.

Nurse

Albert has cancer. He's suffering from its effects. He's dying.

[ chattering ]

[ man shouts, indistinct ]

[ monkeys chittering ]

[ ringing, indistinct voices ]

[ ringing, voices continue ]

Scene 12

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

Dana Scully

Hey! Hey!

[ alarm ringing, faint ]

[ alarm continues ]

Dana Scully

[ panting ] look, I need answers from you.

[ door opens ]

Dr. Barnes

You the man who called?

Alex Krycek

Dr. Barnes.

Dr. Barnes

Yes?

Alex Krycek

Dr. Barnes, you and I are... Destined to be great friends.

Dr. Sandoz

Albert was the only translator who didn't dismiss me out of hand. When I showed him the original artifact... He sensed immediately its power and importance. The trouble was it was only one fragment. Not enough to read.

Dana Scully

But then other pieces surfaced.

Dr. Sandoz

Dr. Merkmallen found two more in the tidal shallows. He sent me a rubbing. Suddenly, albert was able to make a real translation.

Dana Scully

A passage from the bible on an artifact that you're saying is extraterrestrial. And, uh, how did the aliens get it?

Dr. Sandoz

They gave it to us. The text came from them. I can prove it. It's written here. I'm sure of it. Albert was working to translate another section when his health turned.

Dana Scully

And, uh... This was going to tell us what?

Dr. Sandoz

I don't know yet. Albert said it just seemed to be random letters.

[ phone ringing ]

Woman

[ woman ] hello?

Dana Scully

Hello. Uh, I'm sorry. I'm trying to reach Fox Mulder.

Woman

Hold on, please. Fox.

Fox Mulder

Hello?

Dana Scully

Mulder, where are you?

Fox Mulder

I'm here. I'm resting.

Dana Scully

Where? Who answered the phone?

Fox Mulder

I'm home. It's okay. Where are you?

Dana Scully

I'm in New Mexico with dr. Sandoz.

Fox Mulder

Does he have the artifact? Oh, god--

Dana Scully

Mulder, this, uh, artifact, if I'm to believe what I'm being told about it--

Fox Mulder

What?

Dana Scully

It has a passage on it from genesis.

Fox Mulder

Scully, that artifact is extraterrestrial.

Dana Scully

Mulder, it can't be.

Fox Mulder

Did you know what that would mean?

Dana Scully

It would mean nothing.

Fox Mulder

It would mean that our progenitors were alien, that our genesis was alien, that we're here because of them, that they put us here.

Dana Scully

That is science fiction. It doesn't hold a drop of water.

Fox Mulder

You're wrong. It holds everything. Don't you see? All the mysteries of science, everything we can't understand or won't explain, every human behaviorism, cosmology, psychology, everything in the X-Files. It all owes to them. It's from them.

Dana Scully

I will not accept that. It is just not possible.

Fox Mulder

Well, then, you go ahead and prove me wrong, Scully.

[ receiver clicks ]

[ line ringing ]

Diana Fowley

Yes, it's Diana Fowley calling for him. I received a call from agent Mulder this evening. He was in a particular state of distress. I don't know why, but I'm staying here until I find out.

[ receiver clicks ]

Man

You'll find preparations for mass destruction on a scale... That can only be imagined. What can we do to stop them? There appears to be nothing we can do to prevent it. It becomes a question of managing the crisis. Otherwise, we're facing annihilation ourselves.

Scene 13

Dana Scully

It began with an act of supreme violence-- a big bang expanding ever outward, cosmos born of matter and gas-- matter and gas-- ten billion years ago. Whose idea was this? Who had the audacity for such invention? And the reason? Were we part of that plan ten billion years ago? Are we born only to die? To be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth... Before giving way to our generations? If there is a beginning, must there be an end? We burn like fires in our time, only to be extinguished. To surrender to the elements' eternal reclaim... Of matter and gas. Will this all end one day? Life no longer passing to life. The earth left barren like the stars above-- like the cosmos. Will the hand that lit the flame let it burn down, let it burn out? Could we, too, become extinct? Or if this fire of life living inside us is meant to go on, who decides? Who tends the flames? Can he reignite the spark even as it grows cold and weak?

Dr. Sandoz

The healing ceremony has begun if you want to go inside.

Dana Scully

No, I don't think that's right. I don't share in their faith.

Dr. Sandoz

The medical doctors say they've done everything they could.

Dana Scully

I know. I think they have. [ cell phone rings ] I'm sorry. Scully.

Walter Skinner

It's Skinner. Where are you?

Dana Scully

I'm with dr. Sandoz.

Walter Skinner

Where?

Dana Scully

In gallup, New Mexico. Where are you?

Walter Skinner

The hospital in georgetown. I'm calling with bad news. Mulder's in serious condition.

Dana Scully

What happened to him?

Walter Skinner

Nobody knows. You should do whatever you can to get here as soon as possible.

Dana Scully

I have to go. I have to leave.

Dr. Sandoz

Please, don't let anyone know where I am... Until we know for sure.

[ approaching footsteps ]

Scene 14

GEORGETOWN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Dana Scully

They just told me he's in the special psychiatric unit.

Walter Skinner

I told you on the phone--

Dana Scully

No, you said there was bad news. You didn't tell me what was wrong. I'm sorry. It just took me three flights to get here.

Walter Skinner

I don't know what to do. No one else does either. I knew you'd want to be here to see him, to talk to the doctors.

Dana Scully

What? What is it?

[ Mulder, indistinct ]

[ door opens ]

Diana Fowley

Thank you for coming. He was asking for you last night.

Doctor

You shouldn't be in here.

Dana Scully

What's wrong with him? This man, Fox Mulder.

[ screaming ]

Doctor

I'm not sure what's wrong with him, and we don't know what to do for him. He's got extremely abnormal brain function, but there's no signs of stroke. We're waiting to run more tests.

Dana Scully

Waiting for what?

Doctor

He's extremely violent. With what we've given him, he should be in a barbiturate coma. But there's brain activity in areas we've never seen before.

Dana Scully

I wanna talk to him.

Doctor

No, he's a danger to anyone.

Dana Scully

Not to me.

Diana Fowley

Can we speak in the hall?

Dana Scully

About what?

Walter Skinner

Agent Scully? Scully!

Diana Fowley

When did all this start?

Dana Scully

When we took this case, when Skinner gave it to us.

Diana Fowley

What kind of case is it?

Dana Scully

Investigation into a murder.

Diana Fowley

Of whom?

Walter Skinner

The case has nothing to do with what's happened to him.

Diana Fowley

Agent Scully says it does. You know my background, my previous work on the X-Files. If I can help on this case--

Walter Skinner

The X-File here is a fraud. Scully has ample proof of that. Evidence authenticated by a scholar and authority.

Dana Scully

I never sent you that report.

Walter Skinner

Anyway, the case is being resolved.

Diana Fowley

Not as far as it affects agent Mulder. If you know what's happening, why won't you tell me?

Dana Scully

Why were you with him last night?

Diana Fowley

He called me. I found him in a university stairwell. He could barely speak. He said I was the only one who'd believe him about an artifact.

Dana Scully

You're a liar.

Walter Skinner

Scully.

Dana Scully

You're both liars.

[ departing footsteps ] [ door closes ]

[ chanting in native language ]

[ ringing ]

Scene 15

Dana Scully

Hello.

Dr. Sandoz

Agent Scully. Dr. Sandoz. I'm sorry, I didn't know how else to reach you. There's something--

Dana Scully

Dr. Sandoz, I-I don't know if this is a secure line.

Dr. Sandoz

Yes. All right. But I realized something. The letters albert translated on the artifact? I know what they are.

Dana Scully

What they are?

Dr. Sandoz

Yes. They're coordinates, agent Scully.

Dana Scully

For what?

Dr. Sandoz

For genes. They're symbols for Gene clusters. The human genome. Are you there?

Dana Scully

Yeah.

Dr. Sandoz

I think it's all here-- the map to our human genetic makeup-- every Gene on every chromosome. Proof of what I've been saying. If only we could find more pieces.

[ whinnying ]

Dana Scully

Dr. Sandoz? Hello? [ gunshot ] dr. Sandoz?

[ native ]

Scene 16

IVORY COAST

African Man

It's the same. I'll take you, but they are afraid.

About this transcript

The dialogue comes from the official DVD subtitle track supplied by Boggsfiles. Speaker and scene attribution was cross-checked against character-labelled reference material. Subtitle wording is preserved while capitalization and spacing are standardized for easier reading.