What’s cute, furry, and makes a soft purr-like cooing noise when you snuggle with them?
Guinea pigs on steroids?
If there’s one thing most people recognize from Star Trek, it’s the tribble. They don’t know what the little bundles of joy are called mind you, but people find them adorable. What non-trekkers don’t know is that they’d suffocate in their own house a week after owning one. More on that later.
Like all things, tribbles were invented in Russia. Just ask Chekov, he’ll tell you.
What do you mean nuclear “wessels” weren’t “inwented” in Russia?
Okay, maybe not, but that’s how this particular episode starts; a heated debate on who invented what throughout history. Shortly afterwards the Enterprise receives a priority one distress call from Deep Space Station K7 which orbits Sherman’s Planet. It lies in disputed space between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. It turns out that the distress call was simply an overexagerated plea by a pompous man named Baris to guard a precious grain called quadrotriticale.
Like baseball, V8 Fusion, and David Hasselhoff, Quadrotriticale was also “inwented” in Russia.
Since guarding grain wouldn’t fill a full forty-five minutes, the Klingons ”unexpectedly” show up and request shore leave. Under the terms of the treaty the Klingons are allowed shore leave. Kirk, having to protect the grain, limits their shore leave and adds a security detail to both the Klingons and the grain. We’re introduced to Cyrano Jones, a trader that eventually introduces those fuzzy things we all know and love. It turns out however that when you feed them, they mulitply like rabbits and end up everywhere.
Tribbles, the other white meat.
Without spoiling the story, not that there’s much of one, bar fights ensue and tribbles run rampant. This particular episode was more comic relief than anything else but still worth a watch. This episode later reappears in the Deep Space Nine episode, “Trials and Tribble-ations”, where the Defiant and her crew go back in time to stop a rogue Klingon agent from getting revenge on Kirk for what he did during his time at Station K7. If you want to see Jadzia in a mini-skirt and boots, go watch that too.
Jadzia, see that line? It’s curving.
Stay tuned for more blasts from the past…which take place in the future…in the Final Frontier…somehow…yeah.