Oh! On the Kirk-as-robot front, I think the implication was meant to be that, like random passing alien women, tribbles were of no real interest to Kirk because the only thing he truly loves is his ship.

(This is the thing about ST:III. Kirk kills his one true love ship to MAYBE save Spock. If you came to that moment in Trek history from the beginning, it's one HELL of a moment, because you know just how much he loved her.)