"They've been here for two months. It doesn't look like they are leaving any time soon." Harry, like many others, was growing tired of playing host to occupying Russian soldiers. All across the state, people had soldiers monitoring their movements and conversations.
"What exactly are you getting at, Harry?" The answer he already knew. Harry stirred up dissent throughout the whole town, but Bert just wanted to hear how he'd spin it. In Bert's experience, Harry's zeal had a tendency to push the bounds of logic.
"You know what I'm saying. We organize. We put a stop to this ourselves." Harry's eyes blazed. They always did when he found something to be passionate about. "Their occupation force consists of maybe fifty soldiers and a few tanks. Laughable at best. A well-laid plan and a handful of determined men is all it will take to get rid of them."
"Then what? Paint 'Wolverines' all over their burnt-out tanks and throw a party?" More than skeptical, Bert continued, "Christ, Harry, they can just bomb the whole damn town if you're going to make trouble. And why wouldn't they?"
"Politics. The whole world is watching, and Russia is already pushing the limits after dropping the bomb and then this invasion. If they want to keep other nations from getting involved, they can't afford a civilian body count." Harry paused a moment to compose himself and lower his voice, as there was no telling if soldiers were outside listening in. "This isn't 'Red Dawn,' Bert. We aren't a bunch of high school kids. Half the damn town is ex-military, men and women with experience and training. Hardly suicide."
Bert sat glaring at wood burning in the fireplace. Harry's insurrection sounded more and more reasonable as he went on. Bert wasn't so sure that was a good thing. "What do you propose we call this little resistance movement? We can't go off to war without a proper name to strike fear and loathing into the heart and minds of our enemies." Breaking the tension was Bert's goal, but it remained a valid question. Freedom fighters without a cool name are the ones that go unremembered in history. "And God help you if you say 'Wolverines.'"
"John and I toyed with a few ideas the other night. We came to settle on the Alaskan Liberation Force." Harry, no doubt drunk at the time this name formed, seemed very proud of the name.
"You're kidding, right?" Bert chuckled, fighting a full-blown fit of laughter.
"What's wrong with it?"
"ALF? You want to have us associated with a sitcom from the 80's? Why not go with The A-Team or Blue Thunder." Bert could fight the laughter no longer. "Wait, I've got it! MacGuyver!"
"We can debate names some other time." Harry grew impatient. "Where do you stand?"
Bert resumed staring into the fireplace. He couldn't help but imagine the town burning in the small stone pit. "On one condition will I get on board this little fiasco waiting to happen. You aren't allowed to name things anymore." Bert cracked a smile and relaxed for the first time since Harry had come to call.
Within six months, ALF liberated Kenny Lake, Alaska from Russian control through a series of well-planned and well-executed attacks, and a half-ton of improvised explosives.
In hindsight, MacGuyver would have been a more suitable name.
