For an hour after he returned to base, Max napped, getting his mind in order for the next set of orders that needed to be given. As his body progressed, he needed less and less sleep to function at full capacity, but this last advancement seemed to be the real tipping point. After only a single hour, he was refreshed and ready to face the day again, confident he could last through much more than just a single shift if needed.
Most of the pilots weren't at this point yet, and wouldn't be for years to come unless they had a particular affinity for advancing through battle. Fortunately, the orbital strike had made their lives easy, and the single unit patrols on the perimeter could safely be extended, giving the Pilots four hours off between two-hour shifts on duty. As the area stabilized, that could be extended to a full six hours, but that increased the chances of inattentiveness near the end of a long shift, so Max preferred not to do it if at all possible.
