The growing boredom from staring out at the monotonous landscape, and his sleep debt were finally starting to catch up to Niou. The sand was just endless and all looked the same. And thus far, the radars had all been silent. And there was a limit to how much good pinching himself on the leg and biting the inside of his lip did to staying awake eventually.

During one of the monologuing - so much monologuing. Why was there so much monologuing from two people?! - Niou dozed off.