 Why does Chip seem to enjoy talking to Retief?
Magnan leaned back, waiting for Retief's reaction. 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. A gaunt leathery-skinned man wearing white ducks, a blue turtleneck sweater and a peaked cap tilted raffishly over one eye stared at Retief. The thick-necked man edged past him, looked at Retief and snorted, "That's him, sure." 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. And you've got the right idea on the Soetti, too," Retief said.
 He doesn’t like the captain and likes that Retief doesn’t like him either.
 He thinks that Retief will be able to overthrow the captain.  He’s the cook, and generally nice to those he serves.  As he says, he likes to see a “feller” eat and enjoys cooking for him.  He doesn’t like the captain and likes that Retief doesn’t like him either.