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In Star Trek Discovery S1:E3 - Context is for Kings, we see Lorca's collection of extraordinary items, including a Tribble.

Now the trouble with Tribbles is that they multiply.

My question is: Why does Lorca only have one Tribble?

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    Aside from your question, it would be a funny plot twist when Lorca realizes that the ultimate weapon against the Klingons was in his ready-room all the time.
    – Edmund Dantes
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 11:50
  • "As far as I can tell, they're born pregnant" - McCoy.
    – steenbergh
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 11:51
  • I've removed most of the completely pointless links. They're not necessary.
    – Edlothiad
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 11:56
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    As the responsible pet owner that he is, he neutered it :D
    – Hans Olo
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 15:43
  • False premise. We have no idea how many he has. What is with all the utterly trivial questions?
    – J Doe
    Commented Nov 8, 2017 at 12:31

1 Answer 1

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How does he have only one?

We don't know for sure cause the show hasn't said (as of 11-7-17). But to pull a quote from TOS.

Dr. McCoy: [enters after Kirk gets covered with tribbles] Jim! I think I've got it. All we have to do is quit feeding them. We quit feeding them, they stop breeding!

Capt. Kirk: Now he tells me.

He either knows enough not to feed it (probably the explanation), or there's some less canonical explanation like it's a male (are there males?), it's fixed, or it's stunned or dead.

I like the not feeding it option best and I hope they go with that.

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    I have always thought that Lorca was an animal person, so he will not allow the tribble to starve. He has even fed the tardigrade with his Chief of Security :) )(indirectly)
    – Edmund Dantes
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 12:51
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    @EdmundDantes that got dark really quickly
    – Petersaber
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 13:15
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    Tribbles are hermaphroditic and capable of asexual reproduction via self-insemination, resulting in offspring that are born pregnant. If it is fed even the smallest amount, it reproduces exponentially. If Captain Lorca has only one Tribble, it must be because he's not feeding it, otherwise..... he'd have a whole lot more than one Tribble.
    – DisturbedNeo
    Commented Nov 7, 2017 at 15:43
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    In some scenes, you can hear Lorca's tribble purring, so it's not stunned or dead.
    – Thunderforge
    Commented Jan 8, 2018 at 16:17

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