The sun had sunk behind the nearby mountains and the wind had picked up. The air surrounding Chekov and Sulu was still humid but the temperature was rapidly plunging. They'd created a huge nest of leaves to hide under in the hope of staving off the cold but Chekov had his doubts. He shivered as the sweat on his back began to cool, "I think we should get those thermal vests on before we get too cold." Chekov said. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, freeing the loose curls that had caught there.
"Agreed, the more heat we can trap the longer we'll survive." Sulu said with a curt nod. Both men headed to the cargo crate and pulled on the thermal jumpsuits. The one Chekov had fit perfectly snug around his form and it began to work the moment he fastened it up. The fabric fit like a second skin; the heat from his body was reflected back instead of escaping into the cold air around him. His hands were still free however and they would give a valid indication as to how cold it was outside the suit. "We should get under the pile of leaves too." Sulu said.
Chekov looked down at the heap of rotting leaves and grimaced. It wasn't the damp slimy feel that they had that bothered him, nor was it the rough texture of some of them which was akin to that of gravel. It was the smell. It was a combination of the waste food compactor and the human waste silo combined. The nauseating plant that had provided most of the heap had begun to excrete the pungent odour just as the sun had sank. Sulu has suggested that it could be a defence against predators that appeared at this time of day. All Chekov knew was that it was a rancid stench that he was keen to avoid. Fido had no such limitations; he'd spent the evening chasing around in the leaves they'd gathered and making a nuisance of himself. Chekov looked at Sulu and shrugged. "I suppose we have to get in."
"Just try and think about the hot showers back on board the Enterprise, this will help us survive long enough to see it again." Sulu said. He grimaced as he dug his way into the pile he had made for himself.
Chekov looked down and swallowed hard, there was nothing for it, he'd have to hold his breath and just get in there. He took a giant lungful of air before diving into the mound. It was the rankest thing he'd ever had to do in the line of duty before. He took shallow breaths to avoid retching as the stench penetrated the very air. If it was a defence against predators it worked. It made him hope that little bit harder that Scotty would get the transporter fixed that bit quicker. He didn't know how much of the smell he could handle.