How To Survive On Talwin

How to hibernate without being exterminated by winter carnivores:

camouflage;
shells;
spines;
poisonous tissues;
tunneling deep;
tunneling under rocks;
lying under glaciers;
prolificity;
the Domrath, large and armed, go berserk if roused;
constructing shelters;
sleeping in gated caves.

Flandry explores with civilian Merseian scientists who have learned precision from military service. He is unarmed but they can protect him, e.g., from Domrath berserkergang, if necessary.

In fact, thanks to Flandry and Ydwyr, a joint Merseian-Terran scientific base comes into existence on Talwin but it is mainly useful as a location for secret meetings between the rival Intelligence services since Siekh is in the Wilderness between Empire and Roidhunate and is a more discrete venue than the neutral power, Betelgeuse.