STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Season 2, Episode 15

The Trouble With Tribbles

Series: Original Series - (1966-1969)
Season: 2
Episode #: 15
Production #: 60342
Original Airdate: 12/29/1967

Writer(s): David Gerrold
Director(s): Joseph Pevney

Guest Stars
William Schallert as Nilz Baris
William Campbell as Captain Koloth
Stanley Adams as Cyrano Jones
Whit Bissell as Station Manager Lurry
Michael Pataki as Executive Officer Korax
Ed Reimers as Vice Admiral Fitzpatrick
Charlie Brill as Arne Darvin
Paul Baxley as Lt. Freeman
David L. Ross as Lt. Galloway
Guy Raymond as the K-7 Bartender

Uncredited Guest Stars
Richard Antoni as a Klingon
William Blackburn as Lt. Hadley
Dick Crockett as a Klingon
Frank da Vinci as Lt. Vinci
Steve Hershon as a Security Officer
Roger Holloway as Ensign Roger Lemli
William Knight as Crewman Moody
Jeannie Malone as a Bridge Yeoman
Bob Miles as a Klingon
Bob Orrison as a Klingon
Eddie Paskey as Lt. Leslie
Joe Paz as Sciences Division Lieutenant

Stardate: 4523.3

Synopsis

When the U.S.S. Enterprise receives a top-priority order to protect a shipment of quadrotriticale grain on Deep Space Station K-7, Kirk is irritated to be guarding a shipment of "wheat." But the shipment is meant for famine-struck Sherman's Planet, and Klingons are taking shore leave on the space station. Adding to Kirk's irritation is Federation Undersecretary for Agriculture, Nilz Baris, and his pesty assistant, Arne Darvin, who inform Kirk that Starfleet Command is afraid the Klingons may try to steal the grain.

Another problem arises when a space trader, Cyrano Jones, gives Uhura a purring ball of fluff known as a tribble. Charmed by the creature, Uhura takes it back to the Enterprise. However, as McCoy soon learns, tribbles are born pregnant and the more they eat ... and they eat constantly ... the more they multiply. Soon the starship is overrun by the furry creatures.

[ Complete Screencap Index ]

Kirk soon finds that the bins that were once full of the precious quadrotriticale are now full of dead tribbles. The grain has been poisoned by a Klingon agent disguised as the Undersecretary's assistant, Darvin. His true identity is exposed when Kirk discovers that tribbles don't like Klingons (and vice-versa) and squeak whenever they're in near proximity. The Klingons leave the space station and Scotty rids the Enterprise of the tribbles by beaming them aboard the departing Klingon ship where, as he tells Kirk, " ... they'll be no tribble at all."

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