 What is the significance of the mission Colonel Walsh gives Major Polk?
Perhaps there was method in Colonel Walsh's madness—murder-madness—when he ordered Major Polk to scan the planet for a guy named Joe. We were somewhere in Area Two on Earth, takeoff point for any operations in Space II. "It will be a simple assignment, Major," he said to me, peering over his fingers. If Walsh really wanted to know the reasons for the revolt, I could give them to him in one word: Walsh. And I thought about Colonel Leonard Walsh and how he was supposed to be quelling that revolt. My orders said I was to report to Captain Bransten immediately upon arrival. "Yes," I said, still thinking of Colonel Walsh.
 Walsh sends Major Polk on a fools errand so that he can trick Polk into the Venusian jungle and kill him, serving as revenge for the embarrassment Polk caused him years ago.
 Walsh sends Polk on a fools errand in order to trick him into time away from Earth so that Walsh can botch the occupation on Mars once and for all.  Walsh sends Major Polk on a fools errand so that he can trick Polk into the Venusian jungle and kill him, serving as revenge for the embarrassment Polk caused him years ago.  Walsh sends Polk on a fools errands in order to trick him into a full time job on Venus.  Walsh sends Polk on a fools errand in order to trick him into finding trader Joe, who is responsible for some of Walsh’s recent military problems.