 What context shows that Si was able to retire from the working force reserves with honorable rank?
They also had a banquet for him, complete with speeches by such bigwigs of the Department of Space Exploration as Academician Lofting Gubelin and Doctor Hans Girard-Perregaux. In common with recipients of gold watches of a score of generations before him, Si Pond would have preferred something a bit more tangible in the way of reward, such as a few shares of Variable Basic to add to his portfolio. It was better to retire on a limited crediting, on a confoundedly limited crediting, than to take the two or three more trips in hopes of attaining a higher standard. Time to decide that a one room mini-auto-apartment, complete with an autochair and built-in autobar, and with one wall a teevee screen, was all he needed to find contentment for a mighty long time. Possibly somebody like Doc Girard-Perregaux might be horrified at the idea of living in a mini-auto-apartment ... not realizing that to a pilot it was roomy beyond belief compared to the conning tower of a space craft. Even as Si listened to their speeches, accepted the watch and made a halting little talk of his own, he was grinning inwardly. His explanation was that a phobia against having his eyes touched prohibited either surgery to remould his eyeballs and cure his myopia, or contact lenses. Doctor Girard-Perregaux was convinced Gubelin would have even worn facial hair, had he but a touch more courage. His friend said drily, "Either of us could have volunteered for pilot training forty years ago, Lofting. He said, "Nevertheless, both you and I conform with the present generation in finding it far more pleasant to follow one's way of life in the comfort of one's home than to be confronted with the unpleasantness of facing nature's dangers in more adventurous pastimes." Percentages were against his ever being drafted into industry. Automation being what it is, only a fraction of the population is ever called up. His industrial aptitude dossier revealed him a possible candidate for space pilot, and it was you yourself who talked him into taking the training ... pointing out the more pragmatic advantages such as complete retirement after but six trips, added shares of Basic so that he could enjoy a more comfortable life than most and the fame that would accrue to him as one of the very few who still participate in travel to the planets.
 He purchased and dressed in the honorable retirement-rank suit.
 He purchased and dressed in the honorable retirement-rank suit.  He was granted access into the vacuum-tube two-seater for transportation.  His receipt of Basic onto his credit card that would fund all of his necessities.  He was permitted to enter the Kudos Room at the hotel.