Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy, the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG, Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online, as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant. Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{spoiler}}, {{spoilers}} OR {{majorspoiler}} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

READ MORE

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki
Advertisement

"The Trouble with Tribbles" was the 42nd episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, the 13th episode of the show's second season, first aired on 29 December 1967. The episode was written by David Gerrold, directed by Joseph PevneyMA and novelized in Star Trek 3 by James Blish. It was adapted as the third book in the fotonovels series in December 1977. It was also adapted as the third book in the Little Golden Books series in July 2019.

Description[]

Fotonovel teaser
When Lt. Uhura's adorable pet tribble shows an incredible capacity to breed, it and its thousands and thousands of offspring take over practically every available inch of space on the Starship Enterprise.
And with each passing day, the Enterprise begins to more closely resemble a maternity ward than a spaceship.
What at first is considered a minor inconvenience soon becomes a galactic crisis as Captain Kirk and his crew discover... The Trouble with Tribbles.

Summary[]

Log entries[]

Captain's log, stardate 4523.2.
Our path is taking us into a quadrant of the galaxy that has been under dispute between the Klingons and the Federation since initial contact. The Battle of Donatu V was fought near here 23 solar years ago. The results were inconclusive. We are presently approaching Deep Space Station K-7 which is now within sensor range. (fotonovel)
Captain's log, stardate 4523.3.
Deep Space Station K-7 has issued a priority one call. More than an emergency, it signals near or total disaster. We can only assume the Klingons have attacked the station. We're going in armed for battle. (episode and fotonovel)
Captain's log, stardate 4524.2.
A Klingon warship is hovering only a hundred kilometers from Deep Space Station K-7, while its captain waits in the station manager's office. Their intentions are unknown. (episode)
Captain's log, stardate 4524.2.
A Klingon warship is hovering only a hundred kilometers from Deep Space Station K-7, while its captain waits in the station manager's office. Spock and I are beaming down. (fotonovel)
Captain's Log, stardate 4525.6.
A small disturbance between the Klingon crew and members of the Enterprise crew has broken out aboard Space Station K-7. I am forced to cancel shore leave for both ships. (episode and fotonovel)

References[]

Characters[]

Episode characters[]

Nilz BarisPavel ChekovTheodore FitzpatrickJerry FreemanDavid GallowayGralmekBill HadleyCyrano JonesJames T. KirkKoloth, son of LassharKoraxRoger LemliRyan LeslieJohn LurryWalt MathisonLeonard McCoyWade MoodyMontgomery ScottSpockNyota UhuraVinci[1]tribblesunnamed Humansunnamed Starfleet personnel (Starfleet personnel) • unnamed 2260s USS Enterprise personnel (USS Enterprise personnel)
Referenced only
John BurkePeter the Great

Novelization characters[]

Nilz BarisPavel ChekovJerry FreemanGralmekCyrano JonesJames T. KirkKoloth, son of LassharKoraxJohn LurryLeonard McCoyMontgomery ScottSpockNyota Uhuratribbles

Little Golden Books characters[]

Nilz BarisPavel ChekovGralmekCyrano JonesJames T. KirkKoraxJohn LurryLeonard McCoyMontgomery ScottSpockNyota Uhuratribblesunnamed 2260s USS Enterprise personnel

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • IKS Gr'oth (D7 class battlecruiser)

Locations[]

Deep Space Station K-7 (the galaxy's Beta Quadrant)
Referenced only
Sherman's Planet (the galaxy's Beta Quadrant) • Canada, Russia (Earth, Sol system, sector 001, (the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant)

Shipboard areas[]

USS Enterprise
bridgesickbay

Races and cultures[]

HumanKlingonVulcan

Technology and weapons[]

intercommedical tricordersensorsstarshipviewscreentransportertricorder

Materials and substances[]

atmospherebloodgasoxygen

Lifeforms[]

quadrotriticaletriticaleRegulan bloodwormtribble

States and organizations[]

FederationKlingon High CommandStarfleetStarfleet Command

Ranks and titles[]

admiralassistantbureaucratcaptainchief engineerchief medical officercommandercommanding officercommunications officerdoctorengineerFederation Starfleet ranksFederation Starfleet ranks (2260s)first officerlieutenantlieutenant commanderhelmsmanmedical practitionernavigatorofficerscientistscience officersecond officertactical officerUndersecretary for Agriculture

Other references[]

Argilian flame gemchicken sandwichcoffeecreditdistress callEartherOrganian Peace TreatySirian glow watersystem locatoranatomyarmbeamingbirthrateBonesbootcaptain's logcaptain's log, USS Enterprise, 2268clothingdressfingerfive-year missiongovernmenthomeworldhumanoidjumpsuitlanguagelifeformlog entrylogicmattermemoryearnation-stateorbitpantsplanetpopulationquadrantraces and culturesrankregulationsandwichspacestarstar systemstardateStarfleet uniformStarfleet uniform (2260s)technologytitletreatytunicuniformuniversevirusweapon

Chronology[]

stardate 4523.3, 2267 (2260s chronology, 2264–2270 Enterprise voyages)
Enterprise travels to K-7.

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Adaptations[]

Video releases[]

Background[]

  • This episode was the first to be novelized, then later adapted as both a fotonovel and a Little Golden Book.
  • Kirk mistakenly guesses an over-fed tribble results in a "fat" one. In TAS episode: "More Tribbles, More Troubles", this becomes the end result.
  • The novelization in James Blish's Star Trek 3 makes a number of changes:
    • An introduction on tribbles is added
    • The briefing room scene is removed
    • Spican flame gems and Antarean glow water become Argilian flame gems and Sirian glow water.
    • The brawl between the Klingons and the Enterprise crewmen is removed along with the lineup
    • Scotty's closing line "they'll be no tribble at all" is replaced with "all their tribbles will be big ones."
  • The Little Golden Books adaptation was released in hardcover as "Too Many Tribbles!" It retold the story in 24 pages, omitting Koloth and the political background of the story. Many of the tribbles were colored pink in the artwork, as in their depiction in TAS episode: "More Tribbles, More Troubles".

Images[]

Episode images[]

Adaptation images[]

Connections[]

Timeline[]

published order
Previous episode:
I, Mudd
TOS episode produced Next episode:
Bread and Circuses
Previous episode:
Wolf in the Fold
TOS episode aired Next episode:
The Gamesters of Triskelion
Previous story:
first in book
Star Trek 3
Blish3
Next story:
The Last Gunfight
chronological order
Previous Adventure:
Beneath the Skin
pages 12-19
Memory Beta Chronology Next Adventure:
Trials and Tribble-ations
Previous Adventure:
The Galactic Whirlpool
Pocket Next Adventure:
Trials and Tribble-ations
Previous Adventure:
The Galactic Whirlpool
Voyages of the
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
(2264 to 2270)
Next Adventure:
Beneath the Skin


Translations[]
1971
Japanese : トリブル騒動, translated by Tetsu Ito. (Hayakawa Bunko)
1972
German : Die Sache mit den Tribbles, translated by Hans Maeter. (Williams)
1973
Turkish : Tribble Belâsi, translated by Reha Pinar. (Altın Kitaplar)
1976
Dutch : Problemen met Tribbels, translated by Jan Koesen. (Luitingh)
1978
Italian : Triboli coi triboli, translated by Rosella Sanità. (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore)
1991
Czech : Trable s tribbly, translated by Jan Pavlík. (Práce & Bonus Press)

External links[]

  1. The character Vinci was not named in the episode but the same actor, wearing the same operations division Starfleet uniform, was addressed as Vinci in TOS episode: "The Devil in the Dark". The same actor also played the character of Clifford Brent.
Advertisement