Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
Retief gave them more of observed. Retief thumbed through the papers, pausing to read from time "How many men do you need for the harvest, Hank?" Retief inquired. beret from the clothes tree. "I'm off now, Retief," he said. "I hope fancy I've made MUDDLE what it is today. Frankly, I question the weeks. But remember. Yours is purely a rubber-stamp function." Retief waited while the dispatch clerk carried out the errand. The glancing at the Memo for Record. "That's a sizable sublimation." Magnan nodded. "The Bogans have launched no less than four military Retief gave instructions, then rang off and turned to Arapoulous. campaigns in the last two decades. They're known as the Hoodlums of the Nicodemean Cluster. Now, perhaps, we shall see them breaking that "Academic details are the affair of the students and their professors," Magnan said. "Our function is merely to bring them together. See that you don't antagonize the Bogan representative. This will be an excellent opportunity for you to practice your diplomatic A buzzer sounded. Retief punched a button. "What is it, Miss Furkle?" "This fellow's a confounded pest. I'll leave him to you, Retief," Magnan snorted and passed from view. Retief punched Miss Furkle's sight of Retief, looked him over momentarily, then advanced and held Retief dropped his hand and motioned to a chair. the vines don't need a lot of attention, so our time's mostly our own. Retief." we're mostly islands. That's the drama and symphony time. "It sounds like I've been missing something," said Retief. "I'll have Retief took two thin-walled glasses from a table beside the desk. "Come Retief put aside his cigar, pulled the wires loose, nudged the cork, you're doing it for strangers." "Say, this business of alternating drinks is the real McCoy," Retief said. "What's the problem? Croanie about to foreclose?" "Well, the loan's due. The wine crop would put us in the clear. But who can fill the most baskets in an hour.... The sun's high and bright, We've got a bumper crop—and we're short-handed. If we don't get a big vintage, Croanie steps in. Lord knows what they'll do to the land. Then As the council meeting broke up, Retief caught the eye of a colleague across the table. "Mr. Whaffle, you mentioned a shipment going to a place called Croanie. What are they getting?" Whaffle blinked. "You're the fellow who's filling in for Magnan, over at MUDDLE," he said. "Properly speaking, equipment grants are the blinked at it. "Bolo Model WV/1 tractors, to be specific. Why is MUDDLE interested in MEDDLE's activities?" "Forgive my curiosity, Mr. Whaffle. It's just that Croanie cropped up earlier today. It seems she holds a mortgage on some vineyards over on—" "That's not MEDDLE's affair, sir," Whaffle cut in. "I have sufficient problems as Chief of MEDDLE without probing into MUDDLE'S business." off, briefcase under his arm. "That's the trouble with peaceful worlds," the SCROUNGE committeeman said. "Boge is a troublemaker, so every agency in the Corps is out Retief stopped by the office to pick up a short cape, then rode the "I represent MUDDLE." Retief nodded. "Might as well." wait. MUDDLE's arranged theater tickets and a dinner." "Not this time," Retief said. He watched the students, still emerging Back at the MUDDLE office, Retief buzzed Miss Furkle. "Do you know the name of the institution these Bogan students are bound Miss Furkle's mouth puckered. "I'm sure I've never pried into these details." "Where does doing your job stop and prying begin, Miss Furkle?" Retief "For the present. Miss Furkle, Mr. Magnan is vacationing. That leaves But the tractors are on their way to Croanie, a world under obligation to Boge. And Croanie holds a mortgage on the best grape acreage on Lovenbroy." "Well!" Miss Furkle snapped, small eyes glaring under unplucked brows. never mind. I'd like you to look up an item for me. How many tractors will Croanie be getting under the MEDDLE program?" "Why, that's entirely MEDDLE business," Miss Furkle said. "Mr. Magnan always—" Miss Furkle sniffed and disappeared from the screen. Retief left the "Come along." Retief followed her along the stacks to a well-lit CROANIE (general)." He paused at a page headed Industry. Still reading, he opened the desk drawer, took out the two bottles of "Retief here, Corps HQ," he said airily. "About the MEDDLE shipment, Retief waited. "Ah ... are you there, Retief?" "It's perfectly in order. I thought it was all settled. Mr. Whaffle—" And in any event, what business is it of yours how we plan to use the equipment? That's an internal affair of my government. Mr. Whaffle—" "I'm not Mr. Whaffle. What are you going to do with the other four "I know it's bad manners to ask questions. It's an old diplomatic tradition that any time you can get anybody to accept anything as a gift, you've scored points in the game. But if Croanie has some scheme cooking—" "Nothing like that, Retief. It's a mere business transaction." "Retief, this is unwarranted interference!" "And who's the friend you're helping out with an unauthorized transshipment of grant material?" "Why ... ah ... I've been working with a Mr. Gulver, a Bogan representative." "And when will they be shipped?" "Miss Furkle, I'd like to be notified immediately of any new applications that might come in from the Bogan Consulate for placement "And where will they be going?" "Croanie. It's all in the application form I've handed in. Your job is to provide transportation." "Will there be any other students embarking this season?" "Why ... perhaps. That's Boge's business." Gulver looked at Retief with pursed lips. "As a matter of fact, we had in mind dispatching another After Gulver left, Retief called Miss Furkle in. "I'd like to have a Miss Furkle compressed her lips. "If Mr. Magnan were here, I'm sure he wouldn't dream of interfering in the work of other departments. I ... overheard your conversation with the gentleman from the Croanie Legation—" "The lists, Miss Furkle." The buzzer sounded. Retief flipped a key. "MUDDLE, Retief speaking...." "How-do, Retief. Okay if I come up?" In the office, Arapoulous took a chair. "Sorry if I'm rushing you, Retief," he said. "But have you got anything for me?" Retief waved at the wine bottles. "What do you know about Croanie?" "You on good terms with them?" "Sure, I guess so. Course, they're pretty thick with Boge." "So?" "Didn't I tell you? Boge was the bunch that tried to take us over here

<question>:
During the duration of the story, what is Retief’s function in MUDDLE?

<options>:
A He is taking a few weeks off and leaving his responsibility to Miss Furkle.
B He is in total control of MUDDLE while Magnan is away.
C He plays a rubber stamp function for the Libraries and Education division while Magnan is away.
D He is put in charge of investigating the Croanie-Boge conspiracy.

<answer>:

C