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The Scientific Method: a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. Wikipedia

"You have to tell Johanssen how you feel. If you don't, you'll regret it forever."

Beck looked up from the email he was reading in surprise.

He'd been waiting for this email with eagerness and trepidation. Martinez, Johanssen, and Vogel had gotten theirs from Watney, millions of mile behind them on Mars, and, without giving away too many details, had contained his usual blend of matter-of-fact realism and humor. No blame, no guilt, few regrets.

But now, having received his anticipated email from his good friend, he got this. What the hell was the man talking about? He didn't feel anything specific about Johanssen.

It was so like Watney, though. The whole email was focused on him, Beck, and making sure that Beck would be okay. Nothing about Watney's present difficulties or his physical stressors which must be severe and relevant to his present audience... Beck checked himself as he went into researcher mode. Watney was an extrovert and so this isolation must be killing him, and he was being forced to do strenuous physical labor in partial gravity and adjusted gases, without proper nutrition that would be making everything more difficult...and yet here he was focusing on Beck's non-existent love life. It was just so typical of Mark.

Beck shook himself from his reverie and reread the email in entirety. Beck and Johanssen?

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