Captain’s Log, Stardate 662107.0122
The Trouble with Tribbles, Trials and Tribble-ations
The Trouble with Tribbles, featured in the original series of Star Trek, takes place on Deep Space Station K7. Captain Kirk comes after hearing a Priority 1 call and finds that Nilz Baris has called him over to protect a special blue grain. After assigning a minimum of security officers, Kirk returns to the ship. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Uhura comes across a merchant who gives her a Tribble. Then a Klingon ship arrives at the space station. Uhura’s pet Tribble quickly catches the attention of Dr. McCoy when their swift reproductive capabilities are discovered. With the population of Tribbles quickly increasing, it is discovered that Klingons detest Tribbles (and Tribbles detest Klingons). In fact, while the Enterprise’s crew is enjoying shore leave, certain Klingons pick a fight with Scotty, Chekov, and another crew member. In the cargo bay, it is discovered that an infestation of Tribbles has consumed the grain and are sick and dying due to a poison. Darvin, a Klingon disguised as Baris’s assistant, is found guilty of the poisoning in an attempt to sabotage the Federation’s colony on the planet below. The Enterprise crew returns to the ship and beams the infesting Tribbles on board the Klingon vessel just before it went into warp.
Trials and Tribble-ations, a Deep Space 9 episode, is the continuation of this story. Captain Sisko and the crew of the Defiant find themselves in the past, during the events of the episode, The Trouble with Tribbles. Darvin has come back in time to get revenge by killing Captain James Kirk. In groups, the crew is sent to search for the Klingon, while observing the events of the previously described episode. Darvin reveals that he has placed a bomb in a Tribble, in the storage bay, lying in wait for Kirk. Sisko and Lieutenant Commander Dax find the bomb and beam it into space, saving the timeline from disruption. Before leaving, Sisko introduces himself to Captain Kirk, fulfilling a dream to meet one of his heroes.
What do you think of Tribbles? Do you agree or disagree with the decision to “gift” the Tribbles to the Klingons? If you could meet one historical figure who has influenced you, who would it be and what would you say?
i love tribbles and i would put an entire planet aside for the tribbles to take over and then people could go to that planet to see them. i agree with the decision to "gift" the tribbles to the klingons. i would meet george washington and bring pizza have him try it and then ask him if he likes it.
ReplyDeleteI think Tribbles are very interesting and I like having one if I can control its population. I want to meet some hero in the pass and talk about their story.
ReplyDeleteWell, to start off, I don't like Tibbles. They eat and reproduce way too quickly. Although they are cute, I would never want one. I think that "gifting" the tribbles to the Klingons was a pointlessly mean thing to do. I personally would have sent them into space or something (although that would kill them all...but....yeah...). I have no clue who I would want to meet. I think Benjamin Franklin would be pretty cool to meet. From what I've heard, he seems like he was eccentric. I'd love to hear more about his paper "Fart Proudly".
ReplyDeleteMy opinion of Tribbles is that if I was to go through all the trouble to get a Tribble i would just get a hamster. I think that because of the way the Klingons treated the Enterprise crew I think that it was perfectly acceptable to give the Tribbles to the Klingons. I think that I would like to meet me at the age of 3 and teach myself how to talk.
ReplyDeleteI thought the "gifting" of the tribbles to the Klingons was just because of the Klingon agent on Deep Space Station K7 that poisoned the grain, and the fact that the Klingons started a fight with the crew of the Enterprise.
ReplyDeleteIt has never been strange to use animals in conflict--even today, dogs are used as bomb-sniffers in both military and civilian security, as well as countless examples from history. The "gifting" of the tribbles to the Klingons was likely just for comedic effect, as the episode was fairly light-hearted, but I suppose that you could argue that the Enterprise bridge crew effectively condemned the creatures to death in an act of animal cruelty. However, there is a strangely fine line between animal cruelty and pest control--no one has a problem with killing ants.
ReplyDeleteAs for who I would wish to see if I could travel back in time? Ignoring the usual dangers associated with time travel, I imagine that I would like to meet Erwin Rommel. Though he fought on the side of Nazi Germany, he himself could hardly be called a Nazi, and was respected by both his allies and his enemies for treating prisoners humanely, refusing to execute allied prisoners and Jews, and even going so far as to conspire in an assassination of Hitler. As a commander, he was brilliant, and as a person, he was respectable.
I feel that the galaxy's food problems would be solved by the dangerous number of reproducing tribbles. They are good for all sorts of things; eating, comfort, pillows, I disagree with the decision to gift the tribbles to the Klingons, because it would give them another reason to take possession of Sherman's planet which the crew of the Enterprise was able to win over. If I could go into the past, I would meet Robert Oppenheimer, and I would say to him, "you were right."
ReplyDeleteI think that if the Klingons were hostile, I support the decision to give the tribbles to them, though i am not sure whether they would end up alive or dead.
ReplyDeleteI think that the decision to beam the Tribbles onto the Klingon was funny as a joke but I also think that it was unwise considering that there is a conflict going on between the Federation and the Klingon.
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ReplyDeleteI want a Tribble! They're so cute and cuddly and would eat way too much! I think my cats would like them too. That is, until they ate all the food. Then I wouldn't know how to deal with them.
ReplyDeleteGiving the Tribbles to the Klingons, while hilarious, very likely resulted in the prompt mass murdalization of all the Tribbles on their ship. Unless, of course, the Klingons never noticed until they got back to their planet, at which point Tribbles would cascade out of the ship and terrorize the general public. Which would be REALLY hilarious.
Depending on the circumstances, if I were to travel back in time, I would meet Nikola Tesla. Since I'm such an introvert, I wouldn't be able to do a thing except maybe shake his hand, but even that would be the achievement of a lifetime.
I think tribbles are amazing. I do don't really agree with the decision to put the tribbles on the Klingon ship, but I'm sure they were "pleasantly" surprised to find them. I can't really think of a historical figure I would like to meet.
ReplyDeleteI think Tribbles are so interesting.I want to have one to be my pets.I want to see my ancestors.I will tell him his progeniture live well and the life better and better.
ReplyDeleteI think that tribbles are so cute! I do an amazing tribble impresion and I would meet Benjamiin franklin and tell him the avarage human farts 18 times a day
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