Orders is Orders by L. Ron Hubbard

First published in Argosy in 1937; published in trade paperback by Galaxy Press on March 16, 2009 as part of its Stories From the Golden Age series

L. Ron Hubbard wrote stories in a variety of genres before he invented a religion that, despite being founded by aliens, came to be embraced by an uncertain number of people (estimates range from 30,000 to 10 million). Hubbard was a good storyteller and religions are all about stories, so it was a natural fit.

Orders is Orders is written in the typical style of 1937 pulp fiction -- which makes sense, since that's when this story first appeared. It is one of the early stories in Hubbard's writing career.

The Japanese are laying waste to China, the United States is neutral, and members of the American Consulate in Shunkien need money and medicine in order to make it out alive. A Navy ship has money and medicine but Shunkien is 200 miles inland. The captain decides to send two expendable Marines because the deaths of more would risk an incident. During their trek, the two men manage to encounter a feisty American woman who accompanies them on their mission.

Hubbard gives reasonable depth to his characters, particularly the leader of the mission, who has a serious drinking problem (will it jeopardize his mission?) and a problem dealing with his past, including the 15 years he spent being raised by his missionary father in China. The story moves quickly and resolves in a way that is satisfying, albeit predictable.

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