 How does Retief convince the captain to keep him on board?
Magnan leaned back, waiting for Retief's reaction. "All right, Mr. Councillor," Retief said. Overall policy calls for a defense of these backwater worlds. Retief opened the envelope Magnan handed him and looked at the tickets inside. Retief followed the signs, threaded his way through crowds, found a covered ramp with the number 228 posted over it. "Which way to cabin fifty-seven, son?" Retief asked. Retief made his way along the narrow hall, found signs, followed them to cabin fifty-seven. At a table across the room, the Captain, now wearing a dress uniform and with his thin red hair neatly parted, sat with a table of male passengers.
 The captain’s men as well as himself are too scared to confront him, so he leaves him be.
 The captain knows that the Soettie will be able to handle him later.  The captain’s men as well as himself are too scared to confront him, so he leaves him be.  Retief remarks on the Uniform Code, and the captain doesn’t want to have legal issues.  He doesn’t have time to deal with Retief, so he leaves him be.