TRIBBLES AND TROUBLES

A STAR TREK STORY

JUANELL HOPPER

While on Iota Geminorum IV, Uhura picks up a furry little tribble. Harmless? It is no time before the crew of the Enterprise realizes why there was a wall surrounding the city on the planet as the ship is filled with tribbles. However, the tribbles are not their only problem as they decide to explore a planet whose inhabitants died out a thousand years ago. What could wipe out an entire planet? Jim and his crew find out the hard way, and Bones races to find a way to save the captain's life.

A different planet…one they had never been to of course. Iota Gaminorum IV. Jim Kirk had heard of this planet, and the inhabitants were a peaceful lot. They were stopping there to pick up a few items that they were running low on. Uhura had hailed the planet, and they had been welcoming. Apparently, they were used to starships and visitors on their planet.

"Well, it looks peaceful enough," Jim said as he and his first officer, Spock, were looking at the brown, green, and blue planet on the view screen.

"As we have learned in our excursion across the galaxy, Captain, looks can be deceiving," Spock replied.

"I suppose you're right, so let's make sure we take a phaser with us."

"I would not consider visiting a strange world without one at this point."

Bones came onto the Bridge. "So that's it, huh?" he asked.

"Yes, that's it," Jim said. "Iota Gaminorum Four."

"I wonder what kind of trouble we'll find down there."

"Maybe we won't find any trouble at all."

"Oh. That would be a very different scenario than we usually face."

"Come on, Bones."

Jim turned to the others. "Scotty, you have the con," he said. "Uhura, Spock, Bones, you're with me."

They were soon on their way down to the planet in a shuttle since they would be carrying supplies back to the Enterprise. It was a rather organized city that they came into, and one thing they noticed was that there were high walls around the city. "Looks like they either want to keep something in or keep something out," Bones said. "No one builds walls unless there's something on the other side of it."

"That's not our concern, Bones," Jim replied. "We're here to secure our stores."

"I'm just pointing out the obvious."

Jim set the shuttle down and they disembarked, still curious about the wall around the city. "Do you notice that noise?" Spock asked as they exited the ship.

They all listened for a moment, and could hear a definite…almost purring, or chirping, sound. "Sounds like it's on the other side of the wall," Jim said.

"Maybe they have locusts or something," Uhura suggested.

"That sound like that?"

Bones shook his head. "It could be some flesh-eating vermin that are so violent, they have to build a wall because they can consume everything down to the bare bones in ten seconds," he said.

Jim stopped walking and looked at Bones. "Are you kidding?"

"No. You ever heard of piranhas?"

"This place is not surrounded by water, so I don't think there are any carnivorous fish out there."

"Oh, I never said it was fish out there. I said vermin."

Jim just turned around and continued down the street. He really wondered about Bones' psyche sometimes. The planet was not exceptionally advanced in technology, but it was not primitive either. "I want to visit some of their shops," Uhura said. "I would like to see what they sell here."

"Go ahead," Jim replied. "I'll meet you and Spock later."

"Captain, I did not intend to accompany Nyota on this excursion," Spock said.

"Oh go on, Spock. Bones can go with me."

"Very well."

Jim and Bones went on to the shipping lane which was where their contact was located. Byron Bastion was in charge of the stores on the planet. He greeted Jim and Bones as they entered the warehouse. "Welcome to our planet," he said.

"Thanks," Jim replied.

"What do you think so far?"

"It's very interesting."

"Why do you have high walls around the city?" Bones asked bluntly unable to keep the question inside any longer.

Jim thought he could have waited a few minutes before blurting out that question but he supposed it was out now. "Oh, that's just the way we like it," Byron said.

"You like to be closed in by a wall?"

"Yeah."

"Fascinating."

Bones looked at Jim finding it hard to believe that anyone built a wall around themselves like that without a purpose. Jim found it hard to believe that Bones said "fascinating", much like Spock usually said it. "Anyway, I have a list of the things we need," Jim said as he handed Byron the list. "If you can just get these together for us, we'll be on our way."

"Don't be in such a hurry, Captain Kirk," Byron replied. "Enjoy yourselves while you're here."

"We will."

They walked on out into the sunlight again, and then they heard a familiar sound. Bones scowled a moment. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

"Yes," Jim answered. "You figured out what it is yet?"

"Sounds like a…" Bones looked around them and then he saw a ball of fur that seemed to be scurrying around the side of a building. He hurried over to it and picked it up. "A tribble?"

Jim looked at the creature. "Isn't that the kind of creature you tested Khan's blood on?" he asked.

"Yeah." Bones looked at Jim with a little surprise. "That's what that sound is. It's tribbles."

"That many tribbles? Why would they build a wall to keep tribbles out?"

"I don't know. As far as I know, they're just a little ball of fur. They're not harmful at all."

"Well, it looks like one got past the wall somehow." Jim touched the tribble's soft fur, and it purred. "Do they always purr like that?"

"Yeah."

"Hey! What are you doing with that?" someone asked.

Jim and Bones looked around to see a young woman coming toward them. She came over to them and snatched the tribble. "This belongs to my daughter," she said.

Jim realized she seemed to be trying to hide it. "Is there a problem with the tribbles?" he asked.

"No problem with me," the woman said and walked away.

Jim walked on. "Well, that was a strange encounter," he said.

"You never know what you'll meet on a strange world," Bones said. "You suppose this is the native planet of tribbles? I've never seen many of them, and don't know much about them. The one I had was so near death, I didn't have time to learn much about it, and when it revived, I didn't have much time after that. I turned it over to a lab."

"Looks like just a ball of fur to me."

"How long do you think it'll be before they have those supplies ready?"

"I don't know. I'm sure they'll let us know. In the meantime, it's a pleasant place."

Bones looked out toward the wall wondering how many tribbles it would take to make that much noise. It sounded like a chorus. He had heard frogs at lakes making almost as much noise.

When the supplies were loaded on the shuttle, Byron let Jim and the others know. They met at the ship, and Uhura had a small ball of fur in her hand, and it purred softly as she stroked it. "Isn't that a tribble?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Uhura answered. "Isn't it the cutest thing?"

"Why are you bringing it with us?"

"It's a pet. It's not dangerous. I got it from a merchant."

"His name was Cyrano Jones," Spock said. "A very jolly and very persuasive merchant."

"I hope it doesn't cause us any problems," Jim said. "Let's get going."

They boarded the shuttle and headed back up to the Enterprise. Jim still thought it was a beautiful ship looking at it from the outside. Although this was not the same one he had started out with, it was basically the same design.

They were soon aboard the Enterprise and the stores were being unloaded. "It's amazing how much stuff we go through in a month," Bones said.

"Three months this time," Jim replied. He signed a work order for the stores and another for maintenance on the shuttle. The shuttle had to be gone over since it had been on a trip.

Jim went back up to the Bridge, not bothering to change back into his uniform. "Take us out of orbit, Mister Sulu," he said as he sat down.

Jim watched the stars become lines once again and just sat in the captain's chair reading. Then he heard a familiar purring sound. He swiveled his chair around to see Uhura taking her place with the tribble along. "Lieutenant, I don't think the Bridge is the place for your pet," Jim said.

"I just didn't want to leave it by itself right now," Uhura replied. "It won't cause any problems, Captain."

Jim shook his head slightly. "Okay." He swiveled his chair back around wondering if there was any protocol about animals being on the Bridge. What would they have next? A dog? A cat? Then again, the tribble was nothing like a dog or a cat.

Spock came onto the Bridge next. "Captain, what is our next destination?" he asked.

"I'm not sure right now," Jim replied. "I was thinking maybe we would visit this planet." He pointed to one on his screen he held. "It's called Kurl. The inhabitants supposedly died out a thousand years ago. Don't you wonder why?"

"It is a mystery, but I fail to see how visiting the planet will help us understand what happened."

"Maybe we can find something there that will tell us."

"You could be right, Captain."

"Good." Jim looked at Sulu. "Take us to Kurl, Mister Sulu."

"Yes, Captain," Sulu replied as he began changing their course. "We should be there in three days."

"Great."

Jim stood up. "Mister Spock, you have the con," he said. "I suppose I should get back into uniform."

Jim left the Bridge and went to his quarters. Three days. He thought some of these trips were very long, but there was always something to do. In the ship they had now, they even had a holodeck. He had heard of holodecks, but he had never been on a ship that had one, because the previous Enterprise did not have one. It was new technology. He had not created anything in there yet, but he was sure he would eventually get in there to it. He thought Spock had even been in there.

As he was leaving his quarters, Carol Marcus was there. "Hello, Captain," she said.

"Are you feeling better, my dear?" Jim asked.

"I am. Doctor McCoy is very good at treating allergies."

"Does he know what caused it?"

"He said it was probably something on Gedi Prime."

"Maybe it was.

They kissed and then Jim leaned on the wall. "Why don't we take our time on the holodeck today?" he asked. "I've not even been in it yet."

"It's quite fascinating," Carol replied. "But where will we go?"

"I can think of a lot of places."

"I'm surprised you haven't already been in there."

"Just haven't had time, what with all that trouble with the Klingons, bounty hunters, and everything else we've encountered over the last few months."

"I hope they will reach an agreement that will satisfy both sides."

"I do too."

Jim put his arm around Carol and they began strolling down the corridor. "What do you think about going to Hawaii?" he asked.

Carol smiled. "Does that require a bikini?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I wouldn't require you to wear anything."

"Oh, you do have fantasies, don't you?"

Jim laughed. "Hey, it's the beach."

"There are other places to go."

"I know, but we're all cooped up in this ship all the time, and when I think of a vacation, I can't help but think about being in the wide open on the beach."

"I suppose, but don't you like to ride horses?"

"Of course."

"This holodeck is very amazing, Jim."

"Sounds like it. I really have to get in there today. We'll be at Kurl in three days. A planet where everyone died out. Can you imagine?"

"So we're going to visit a dead planet?"

"We're going to try and find out why."

"Am I invited to go on this away mission?"

"I haven't chosen the away team yet."

"Do I have to use bribery?"

Jim smiled. "That might be good. You can do that."

Carol stopped and gave him a fake glare. "You would enjoy that too much."

"I might."

"Okay. You go about your business, and I'm going to program us something in the holodeck, and later, we'll go and play."

Jim pretended to consider that a moment. "So, I'm going to have to be surprised?"

"Yes."

"I like surprises."

"Good. I'll talk to you later."

They kissed again and then Carol went on toward the holodeck. Jim thought he would enjoy whatever she programmed. He had read about that technology and had thought it was very interesting. He thought the planet Kurl would also bring some very interesting information, and he was actually looking forward to seeing just what they could find down there.