"Has anyone ever extracted a life altering cure from a tribble to prevent death? No," he says, not even getting close to the lie that of course it's been done. "Then again, you keep reminding me that I'm a genius doctor. And I've got a hospital full of equipment to help, a sample, and ..."

He thinks about it, really and honestly thinks about it pragmatically. "Yeah, Jim," he says, hopeful. "I think I can do it."