In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Trouble with Tribbles, which aired on December 29, 1967, Star Date 4523.3
The Enterprise is called to Deep Space Station K7 by a priority 1 distress call. A Klingon ship arrives at the space station and requests that its crew be granted shore leave. Meanwhile, the intergalactic trader Cyrano Jones gives Uhura a thrilling creature called a tribble, who brings it to the Enterprise, where it promptly begins reproducing.
The tribbles begin proliferating throughout the Enterprise. After Kirk finds that tribbles have spread aboard the Enterprise through air vents, he becomes concerned that they may have also infested the grain storage lockers on the space station. However, Spock notes that many of the tribbles are dead inexplicably.
When the station transporter room is being cleared of tribbles, one of them yelps at Baris’s assistant Darvin. Kirk verifies that Yelp for Klingons. McCoy verifies that Darvin is a Klingon and reveals that the grain was poisoned. The tribbles are finally removed from the Enterprise when Scotty transports them aboard the Klingon ship.
Commentary
This episode’s storyline calls attention to various compliance lessons, such as the importance of product safety and quality control, supply chain management, incident response, compliance culture, and regulatory awareness. The show also delves into fun facts about the episode’s popularity and discusses David Gerrard’s impactful yet strained relationship with Gene Roddenberry. Finally, Fox offers actionable compliance takeaways for organizations inspired by the episode.
Key Highlights
- Story Synopsis: The Trouble Begins
- The Klingon Conflict
- The Tribble Infestation
- The Big Reveal: Darvin’s True Identity
- Fun Facts About the Episode
- David Gerrard’s Journey
- Compliance Lessons from Tribbles
Resources
Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein
