The Predictable One

  Reporter: Lyn Tolbert (Gen 11)

Subject: Beckett (Generation 10 / The Middle Kirkland Child)

Lyn: I found Beckett hiding in the kitchen of his house, trying to eat a sandwich in peace away from Aunt Winona’s 'magical aura' checks. And his two kids. Beckett, I just came from a very chilly tea session with Aunt Alicia. She called you 'perfectly predictable' and a 'strength' to the family because you didn't inherit the Spark. How does it feel to be the Empress's favorite example of normalcy?

Beckett: (Taking a slow bite of his sandwich, looking tired) It feels like being a prop in a play I never auditioned for, Lyn. Alicia likes me because I don't set the curtains on fire when I'm angry. To her, 'predictable' just means I'm easier to put on a spreadsheet. Winona looks at me like I’m a broken lightbulb, and Alicia looks at me like I’m a sturdy piece of furniture. Honestly? I’d rather just be a guy who’s good at video games.

Lyn: I asked her the big question today: why she doesn't have her own kids to manage. She gave me this whole speech about being an 'Architect of Empires' and not wanting to divide her focus. Is that the vibe at home?

Beckett: (Snorts, almost choking on his sandwich) Architect? Is that what she's calling it now? Look, I've seen her face when Nadine or Leslie starts crying. It’s not about 'focus,' Lyn. She hates children. Pure and simple.

Lyn: Wait—really? The woman trying to dictate the life of every child in this family actually can't stand them?

Beckett: She treats children like they're loud, sticky biological errors. She wants the legacy of a child—the name, the title, the historical footprint—but she doesn't want the actual child. She wants to skip the first eighteen years and just have an adult she can command. That’s why she’s so obsessed with 'tutoring' Nadine. She's trying to manufacture an adult as fast as possible so she doesn't have to deal with the 'kid' part.

---

The Historian’s Tactical Sidebar:

• The "Hates Children" Reveal: This is the ultimate irony. The self-appointed guardian of the 12th generation is biologically repulsed by the very thing she's trying to control.

• Beckett’s Perspective: He’s not "extinguished"; he’s just the only one in this house who sees the family for what it is—a bunch of people, not a collection of "Sparks" and "Imperial pillars."

• The "Prop" Life: Beckett is the only person Alicia "likes," and even then, it’s only because he doesn't inconvenience her with magic. It’s a lonely spot on the tree.