 Due in part to the special effects , the <unk> , the set re @-@ constructions and the residual payments to The Original Series cast , Behr later described " Trials and Tribble @-@ ations " as " probably the most expensive hour of episodic TV ever produced " . The only member of The Original Series cast who was spoken to directly by the producers was Leonard <unk> , who was enthusiastic about the idea and was surprised that it had taken them so long to come up with the idea . The remaining cast members were each contacted through Paramount 's legal department . Dennis McCarthy wanted to re @-@ work the Jerry Fielding score previously used on " The Trouble with Tribbles " . He said that he intended to use the production equipment and orchestra available to bring the score up to the same scale previously seen on Deep Space Nine . However , the producers wanted a new score and so McCarthy explained that he composed it in a Fielding @-@ inspired mindset . The only piece that was directly re @-@ recorded by McCarthy was the Alexander Courage " Theme from Star Trek " , which involved a 45 piece orchestra . 
