Dr Walter Howe - Iain D

Email: walter_howe@endoftheline.chaosdeathfish.com

After the final convention, Doctor Howe spends some of his time assisting Raphael, and also shows Aki the Active Knowledge Interface or AKI in his clinic. His staff are busy attempting to gather magical artefacts for the Doctor, who has recently acquired the ability to use magic. Meanwhile Howe spends his time publishing his research papers.

“…and that is when I was struck by the idea of harnessing the healing power of purring…”

“…and obviously organic organs are better than metal ones in some respects, though they do still have a place in my heart…”

Several further papers were published, including “Recent advances in non-invasive medical exploratory techniques” and “On the magical approach to medical science”. Walter Howe was instrumental in the merging between the White Cross and the Red Cross, with the White Cross becoming the research wing. Howe spends his days helping spread this noble organisation across the multi verse, and eventually curing illness, disease, ageing (in a way), and most recently he has moved on to curing death itself, in which he has apparently made some headway.

Lighning crackles and rain pelts against the window as the doctor sighs and takes off his stethoscope, moving from the figure lying twitching in the bed to speak to the man pacing back and forth. “I am sorry sir, she is dying”. “No, no please, there must be something, anything, do something.”. “Sir, there is nothing I, or anyone can do for her now”. “Excuse me sir but I would beg to disagree”. A scruffy, short haired teenager wearing a slightly too large lab coat bursts into the room. “As a man of medicine, you cannot give up until the patient is dead-no wait, perhaps not even then. In any case, please get out of my way.”. The doctor replies, outraged “How dare you, you insolent boy! You cannot come in here and lie to a grieving man, and I very much doubt that you can talk knowledgeably about medicine.”. The teenager replies “I am sorry sir, but I have no time to argue, suffice it to say that I am indeed a qualified doctor, does the name Walter Howe mean anything to you?”. “Walter Howe, the mad scientist who claims to have cured disease, ageing and death. But that's impossible, he should be an old man by now!” “Well cure for ageing does still need to be slightly tweaked, but I have every confidence my staff will get it right in the end. And what do you mean mad? Oh and pass me that cable, I need to wire my device up.” Howe replies while clambering out of the window. “What device?” “Look it has an extremely long and and slightly amusing acronym, all you need to know is I'm about to harness the power of the thunderstorm into my healing beam-well first it will kill her, but then it will bring her back- look let me worry about the specifics.”. “You are mad!”. “Why does everyone say that? No time for arguing, here comes the lighting. Wait, quickly, is she allergic to peanuts, ah never mind we'll have to risk it.” Lightning strikes the end of the cable, and there is a great flash of light, the last image visible being Walter holding a bizarre device, while he laughs in a maniacal yet caring way.

A selection of acronyms currently in use by the White Cross. Items marked * were devised by Dr Howe's talented researchers.

AKI = Active Knowledge Interface
ALIEN = Augmented Limbed Individuals of Extraordinary Novelty
ASSISTS = Automated Standard Symptoms Interactive Statistical Tabulating System
BRAIN = Bi-Religiosity Autonomic Incompatibility Negation
CAT = The Cute and Tailful
MIAOW* = Medical Innovation Area of Walter’s
NICE TIRAMISU = Neural Imagery Compatible Enhanced Transparency Inducing Room for the Application of Medical Investigation Strategies Uninvasively (see TIRAMISU)
NORMAL = Neural Operator for the Regulation of Medical Areas and Laboratory
ODD = Organ Duplication Device
PUN = Purr Unit Network
SHEPARD = Subliminal Healing Energy Purr Ambient Radiation Device (replaced by PUN)
TIRAMISU = Transparency Inducing Room for the Application of Medical Investigation Strategies Uninvasively
WHAT = Walter Howe’s Acronym Translation
YOUTH* = Youth Or Un-ageifier Type H