Before & After & Inbetween

On the status of the Decagram

2026-10-05T04:14:17Z

As the few of you who are left in the TB/X fandom have probably noticed, the updates on the Decagram have slowed to a crawl - even for my usually glacial writing speed.
An email by a friend about her rediscovering the joy of writing made me reflect on why that may be case.

In short, I'm not writing stories for the praise from my audience, but because I enjoy writing and exploring that foreign world behind the words. In that, each fandom I ever wrote in (Galaxy Rangers, the Emperor's Edge, and yes, TBX) has its own special appeal for me. For the Decagram with its setting in real world Tokyo of 2000 that was the research, the mental wandering of Tokyo's streets imagining how it would have looked for the characters, for the demons, for... If you are a fan of TBX (and the Decagram?), you'll know. :)

When I started writing the Decagram in 200x that meant endless web searches equipped with a babel fish, a cheap city map (on paper!) of Tokyo, and even haunting the abysmal small section of my city library for books on Japan and modern Tokyo.
The more the Decagram progressed, the more detailed its world got, the more indepth research was needed - but the webtools had gotten better: there was Streetview with its countless photographs, Wikipedia with and -media with sometimes whimsical articles about niche topics that were fun to study and helped figuring things out. And yes, still the open web with the babelfish via copy & paste to get the gist.

When I resumed writing the Decagram last year, all that was pretty much gone. The open website were a mess of slop photos, the Tokyo newspaper archives were behind paywalls - or captchas - "helpful" bots autotranslate their content, incidentally erasing and slopifying the information I sought, and Streetview is an -equally autotranslated- mess of advertising for shops I won't ever visit because they are literally on the other end of the world. I was there for the photos, not the prospects, thank you. I have a full time job, and the local library has opening hours made for pupils and retirees. And a lot of the whimsical articles on Wikipedia have been "dewhimsified", making them more serious sources, but incidentally removing what I used for inspiration.
In short, what had been the main fun in writing the Decagram had become an arduous chore: the research to get the setting right. (You really don't want to know through how many loops I had to jump to get any reliable information about Rebun-to, because the damn bots tend to mix it with a different island much further south.)

In contrast, with Galaxy Rangers I explore(d) how excruciating circumstances form character and worldviews, making my writing there essentially what you may call "closed source", meaning the ancient DVD set I have is all the material I need for writing cohesively in that fandom, making it much more resilient to the garbage dump the web has become.

All this results in me currently enjoying writing Galaxy Rangers stories much more than writing the Decagram, even though the GR fandom these days numbers in the single digits, judged by the access numbers of the new stories on the AO3.

I still have the Decagram story in my head, and I still want to write it, but until I find resources to do the research needed to get it right without wading through all the icky slop it will likely stay there.

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Bionics Chapter 8: Settings

2026-10-04T11:06:08Z

...is complete and up on the ao3 for logged in users to read.

This one was more tricky to complete than I expected.

While Goose & ALMA making a mess of Walsh's life was fun to write, I had to trod a fine line with how graphic I wanted Zach's medical scenes to be. I'm squeamish about stuff like that and I prefer my stories in a shape that I like to read (and reread) myself, but omitting it wasn't an option, either.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/250586311

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Bionics Chapter 7 - Challenges posted & More Updates

2026-09-20T11:10:48Z

So, chapter 7 hit the AO3 yesterday; a couple booboos were found since then (including the missing last two sentences), so if you read it before 2026-09-26 10:00 EST, have a look at the last para to get the full picture. You can find it - as always - as a logged-in user on the AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/247786981

We're now reaching the less drafted parts of Bionics, so progress may slow a little. Most of the Goose & ALMA stuff is written, but Zach's scene - even though he's supposed to be the main character of this story - are yet to be written. I have notes what has to go where in the plot, but nothing written yet.

And on a different tack:
I finally got around to reinstate my website as an intentionally very plain story archive, designed to be readable on most screens and printable via most browsers. Plain because I want to limit bandwidth and energy consumption (and because "fuck SEO, AIO, the scrapers, and the assholes who programmed them and consider wasting a shitload of energy to rip other people off a good idea")!

It's still far, faaaaaarrr from complete. So, if you want to read my stories - the AO3 is still the better address. But it's there. :)

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Bionics Chapter 6: Progress

2026-09-05T18:30:24Z

was just posted to the AO3.
At least three more chapters and an epilogue to come.

Logged in users can find it here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/245201211

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Bionics - Status

2026-08-30T17:12:32Z

I'm about halfway through editing & completing (as in filling in gaps) chapter 6 (working title: complications).
This chapter has a lot of Walsh & Goose scenes, which I want to get just right, because I still feel that my story telling abilities weren't really up to par yet when I was writing "Beyond the Frontier". And a lot of the topics touched in BtF are addressed again in Bionics.

So, instead of a chapter link, here's a snippet:

The rumor caught by Sheela’s well-honed antennas was bad. A sexual relationship with an undisclosed cohabitant…
He ground his teeth, sorting into the access traffic to the base.
Undisclosed cohabitant… was a problem. Undisclosed meant unvetted, and it was only a matter of time until somebody would want to correct that. Protégé won’t cover that allegation. There’s no way to explain his relationship with me without referring to Wolf Den.

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Bionics Chapter 5 - Breaking

2026-08-18T09:17:23Z

...and chapter 5 of Bionics was just uploaded to the AO3 - I expect to spend the next few days catching typos I missed. ;)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/241472836

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Bionics Chapter 4: ...On! And Off.

2026-08-09T17:44:38Z

was just posted to the AO3. As usual, I expect multiple corrections to come over the next few days. ;-)

On a side note: this is the last chapter without gaps to be filled, so updates will likely be slower from now on (or not; my imagination is weird & I so want to play with Goose & ALMA *gg*)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/239735026

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Bionics Chapter 3 - Moving Parts

2026-08-01T18:41:14Z

...just hit the AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/238225226

......and the obligated "post posting editing" to correct all the missed "a", "the", and erroneously chosen words was completed on the next day!

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Bionics chapter 2 - Waking Up - is posted

2026-07-29T18:39:15Z

...and will probably be corrected. Repeatedly. As usual. ;-)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176/chapters/237674726

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Bionics - chapter 2

2026-07-26T17:10:10Z

Chapter 2 is currently edited to about 50% (rough estimate) - and yes, I spent some time ferreting mistakes out of the already poster chapter 1, today.
Depending on how well my head copes with the upcoming heatwave, it may be ready to hit the AO3 next weekend, but Zach certainly has a tough time waking up after the implantation. And Niko applies for a job.

Aside from that: Bionics is currently 100 A4 pages, posted and edited are about the first twenty. The latter half is gappy, so total length will be more in the end.

Quote of the day:

The Untold Truths About Living With Bionics:
#1: You don't want to know.

...on a different note, I may need to make additional GR icons. The Queen and the Badge are kinda limiting as of late.

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Bionics - Chapter 1 posted

2026-07-25T21:10:16Z

The first chapter of "Bionics", the story about what happened between Zachary getting shot and the S5 team being formed is up on the AO3 .
It's currently roughly 10 chapters, but especially in the second half are still gaps that will have to be filled, so final length may be longer. Anyways, hope you'll have fun with it.

Summary: In the first TV-ep, Zachary is shot, Eliza is captured, and at the end of the episode, we see him with the team and weapon-grade bionics.
Well, this story is my take on what happened between those two moments. It covers Zach's implantation and struggles to deal with it, Niko and Goose getting their implants, Doc learning about them (and the commander), Goose getting ALMA, and the S5's being formed...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89238176

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On (gen) AI use

2026-07-24T19:19:33Z

For the record, I do not use AI, generative or otherwise, for writing and editing my stories. I do this for fun, and outsourcing fun to a technology with an energy demand that puts our planetary heating on MAX while we already suffer temperatures above 40°C (!) in Northern(!!) Germany and have projected to potentially reach 46°C (!!!) in a week in my books is suicidal.

And other than anyone on Windows and Mac with Word these days, I can be sure that all mistakes, errors, inconsistencies, and quirks in my writing are mine and not slop induced:
My computer runs on Linux, my writing software is a barebones LibreOffice, my dictionary... is the same since 2001: Langenscheidt's Handwörterbuch Englisch (ISBN 3-468-05127-1, 1800 pages, weighs 2.8 kg, firmly occupying one corner of my desk, because I deem it too heavy to haul around).

If there are similarities in style or grammar between my writing and genAI output, that's because my homepage was scraped without my consent.

In short:
Accuse me of writing and editing with a chatbot, and my dictionary would like to have an impactful conversation with your face. Have a good day.

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Editing Bionics

2026-07-22T17:30:39Z

It's official, I've started editing Bionics, the story covering the procedure of how Zach got his hardware and the S5s were assembled, the story starts just after the disastrous flight to Kirwin in TV-E 1 and encompasses much of what's told in Beyond the Frontier and Reason #1.

It's currently roughly 35000 words, but the second half still has quite a few author notes to be turned into story text, so it's likely going to be longer. Number of chapters not yet decided. It is well structured, but that might not break down with reasonable chapter lengths.

Anyway, I have two reasons to edit Bionics (playing at the beginning of the Series-5 journey) before A Different Kind of Betrayal (which continues what's told in The Right To Refuse and Walking Through Nightmares):

It contains background of characters that will be critical in A Different Kind of Betrayal
and Goose's "introduction" to ALMA (which I can't wait to polish to shine now that I rediscovered it!)

Anyways, on to the edit!

Teaser: "Pink?" - "Blond?"

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The Right to Refuse is complete.

2026-07-20T12:33:07Z

Just posted the Epilogue of The Right to Refuse on the ao3 !

...and now I'm tempted to edit Bionics, the story about how Zach got his hardware & the S5s were formed in my universe!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/87440591

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The Right to Refuse - Chapter 9: Stand-Off

2026-07-19T16:18:19Z

...just went live on the #AO3 - now only a short epilogue is to do.
(Sadly, Zach is underrepresented in this chapter).
Yes, this fic ends with a stalemate of sorts.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/87440591/chapters/235802556

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The Right to Refuse - Chapter 8: Quarantine

2026-07-12T12:33:05Z

Chapter 8 (Quarantine) of The Right to Refuse is now up.
The story refused to be done in 8 chapters + an epilogue, so it's going to be 9+E instead.
So much for planned brevity!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/87440591/chapters/234486736

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The Right to Refuse - Status Update

2026-07-11T19:11:26Z

two scenes to complete and edit & then the final chapter and subsequent epilogue are ready for the AO3 - tomorrow, if my mind complies for a change.

In total: approx. 10 more pages for the archive. Looks promising

Quote of the day: “And I’m here to keep them from confirming their guilt with taking out this fleet.”

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Galaxy Rangers - The Right to Refuse

2026-06-30T16:42:20Z

"Chapter 7: Tarred, Not Feathered" of "The Right to Refuse" is now on the AO3. Looks increasingly like it's going to be 9 chapters and an Epilogue. All remaining chapters have major parts already written, but with some gaps & need for arrangements left & the cold from hell [tm] is so not helping right now. :(

https://archiveofourown.org/works/87440591/chapters/232317121

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Galaxy Rangers - The Right to Refuse

2026-06-27T07:19:28Z

I began editing and posting my old Galaxy Rangers fanfic The Right to Refuse on the AO3.

The story was conceptualised and mostly written some time between 2000 and 2001 (IIRC), so way before the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate breakdown being part of the media circus. Given what we all learned since then about epidemics and fossil fuels – I believe the story held up fairly well; so I decided to weather the murderous June 2026 heatwave by editing it to take my mind off the heat. There are currently 6 of likely 8 or 9 chapters up.

If you are interested: it's up at https://archiveofourown.org/works/87440591

and on position 78 of the Galaxy Rangers timeline: https://archiveofourown.org/series/876

In case you are here only about the TBX fics:
Don't worry. It isn't on hiatus again, but GalaxyRangers is still my comfort fandom, accessible even when I feel horrible & my mind's too fried to manage anything complex (like Decagram). So editing old fic it is.
(Hopefully, it will cool down next week.)

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BAUplan

2026-06-17T14:44:16Z

current chapter word count: 8166 words (mostly continuous)
scene written: burning hands
scenes to be written next: report coming undone
character, who is seeking relief: Seishiro
character, who doesn't want to tag along: Subaru

quote of the day: "I don't work remote."

issues to be addressed:

ambassadors in burning hands;
how will Yimura take it that she does not need to be sorry for her boss?

still open question: will there be a Naha and an Ijyuin scene in this, or just one, and if so, which?

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BAUplan - planlos

2026-06-13T18:51:02Z

No new word count today, because I spent the day on

(a) setting up a Mastodon account for Perv!Tree,

(b) being stuck on deciding whether or not leaving spells protecting against mold after a target's house was flooded last year in place is IC for May 2000 Seishiro, and

(c) no, Subaru cannot ask his secretary to buy underwear on her first day at work. That is so NOT IC (even if it would solve the problem with the betting pool). *eg*

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Wanna have fun?

2026-06-13T15:58:19Z

Beware the Sakura on Social Media!

Fandom.ink is now hosting Tree-san in its endeavor to cover the ongoing writing issues with the Decagram in live toots; the account will be linked to bridgyfed in a week, so you can follow not only from the Fediverse (Mastodon), but also Bluesky and even (shudder) Threads, if you like.

Anyways, the Tree is now online at

https://fandom.ink/@Tree_san

Searchable username: _@tree_san@fandom.ink (without the _ before the @)

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BAUplan plans...

2026-06-12T19:10:39Z

Since I've begun writing the Decagram again, I also resumed posting BAUplans. However, fanfiction writing related posts on BlueSky were just frustrating - whenever something related to fanfic, writing, etc. gets posted, the account (and the posts) are immediately swamped with bots and entrepreneurs apparently unable to grasp the idea that a hobby is fun, and fun is not something to be outsourced for a quick buck.
It made Bluesky a very hostile - at least very annoying - environment for me as a fanfic author writing for fun, so I decided on two things:

resume the BAUplan updates, including longer musing about them, here on Dreamwidth - also to keep track of progress, and

search for a fan friendly mastodon instance to get Tree-san it's own account, because posting that shrub's commentary is JUST TOO MUCH FUN!

So to quote a totally different fandom that I enjoyed watching back when it originally aired on tv here but never wrote in: "Hi, honey. I'm back!" (BtVS).

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BAUplan - Friday affairs

2026-06-12T14:30:56Z

current chapter word count: 7947 words (gap closed, events now flow smoothly, but text could have more oomph! So more polishing needed on existing text.)
how long will the chapter be? defined by the story, but chapter 1 was roughly 14k in the end.
scenes to be written next: burning hands, report coming undone
character, who is a nicely kept secret: Seishiro
character, who is so not a kept secret: also Seishiro.
character complaining about enma-flavored meager meals: Tree-san
character feeling sorry for her boss: Yimura
issue to be addressed: how will Yimura take it that she does not need to be sorry for her boss?
research of the day: indoor mold in Tokyo

open question:
will there be a Naha and an Ijyuin scene in this, or just one, and if so, which?

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BAUplan - Family Reunions Planning (ARGH)

2026-06-10T19:04:25Z

current chapter word count: 8004 words (one gap, two open issues, one scene to decide)
gap to be closed: "upcoming apartment vacancy with collateral"
scenes to be written next: burning hands, report coming undone
character examining bespelled mold: Seishiro
character managing to accidentally link paperwork and sex: Subaru
research of the day: combini closures in 2000 Hachioji

undecided issues:

family reunions - with respect to the Dao: how bad will they be?

Ijyuin - Sakurazuka
Shiro - Sumeragi

Interludes - which goes first? and in which chapter?

Naha - Ameru to the rescue
Naha - Shang shoots

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