A Tribble Called Quest

Needing bosonite to build a new proto-core, the crew searches a barren world, only to find it overrun by genetically modified tribbles the size of boulders. Zero breaks a leg and learns a hard truth: their body is breaking down and will not last much longer. Rok, who studied tribbles for her Starfleet admission thesis, joins forces with Dr K'Ruvang, the Klingon geneticist whose experiment accidentally created the giant creatures. Together they find a way to undo the change, using spiked quadrotriticale grain to spread the cure among the herd. The plan succeeds and the change is reversed, although along the way Rok accidentally produces a cross between a Brikar and a tribble, a 'bribble', which she happily adopts as a pet. With the bosonite collected, the crew builds a new proto-core and sets course for Voyager, 3,000 light years away.