Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into fix/403-fix-time

# Conflicts:
#	modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/model.go

.gitignore

@@ -19,3 +19,5 @@ modules/mesh-issues/cmd/mesh-issues/mesh-issues
 modules/mounts/cmd/mounts/mounts
 modules/mesh-knowledge/cmd/mesh-knowledge/mesh-knowledge
 modules/mesh-knowledge/mesh-knowledge
+modules/mesh-reads/mesh-reads
+modules/mesh-reads/cmd/mesh-reads/mesh-reads

modules/betterbird/README.md

@@ -56,7 +56,15 @@ honours) and installs Owl into every profile from `file:///opt/betterbird/owl/ow
 `force_installed`, with `updates_disabled`. A profile that already runs another Owl keeps it: the policy
 installs the pinned one where Owl is missing. A newer Owl in the profile (g14 runs 1.5.7) is said as a
 fact by `betterbird_status`; Owl installed by policy cannot be removed in Betterbird, so the remedy is
-moving the pin. An older one is a finding of `betterbird_check`, with the same remedy. **Owl's licence stays the person's**: the mesh holds no licence, key or payment (ADR 0316 §9).
+moving the pin. An older one is a finding of `betterbird_check`, with the same remedy.
+
+**Betterbird never asks to be the default client.** The policy locks `mail.shell.checkDefaultClient` off
+(`Preferences`, `Status: locked`): Betterbird's own default (`all-thunderbird.js`) is to ask at every start,
+with a window to make it the default for mail, news, feeds and calendar files, while that preference is true
+(`messenger.js`). Betterbird 153 has no policy of its own for it (its `policies-schema.json`), and its
+`Preferences` policy accepts the `mail.` prefix. A lock, not a default: the window's own "always check" box
+writes the preference into the profile, which wins over a default; a lock wins over the profile and greys the
+box out in the settings. `betterbird_check` says when Betterbird would ask (novox/hq issue 345). **Owl's licence stays the person's**: the mesh holds no licence, key or payment (ADR 0316 §9).
 
 **No start of its own.** Betterbird is started by the operator from the launcher. The start
 (`/usr/local/bin/betterbird`) first runs `betterbird-tools prepare`, which, with no Betterbird of the
@@ -159,7 +167,7 @@ and key.
 | `betterbird_user_js` (r; a with `apply`) | the declared user.js against the profile's; `apply` places it |
 | `betterbird_log` (r) | the last lines of the journal of `mesh-betterbird` (or of the reminder test), addresses and credentials masked (the value after `password=`, `token:` and the like, and the token after `Bearer`/`Basic`). A Betterbird the module did not start prints elsewhere, and the answer says where |
 | `betterbird_restart` (a) | ends Betterbird (asked to quit, forced after 8 s), places the user.js where allowed, starts it as `mesh-betterbird`. **Refused while a composer window is open** (X instance `Msgcompose`, whatever its class), because the unsent message would be lost, unless `discard_unsent` is true, which only the operator's yes justifies. It answers within the runtime's 30 s: a start not yet seen after 4 s is said in `note`, and `betterbird_status` shows it |
-| `betterbird_check` (r) | installed from the mesh's release and not behind the newest published build; the policy placed; Owl at its pin and active; one running; profile found; the user.js on the machine, valid, placed, in effect; the declared accounts in the list, none refused, each signed in once; its output read |
+| `betterbird_check` (r) | installed from the mesh's release and not behind the newest published build; the policy placed; no ask at the start to be the default mail client; Owl at its pin and active; one running; profile found; the user.js on the machine, valid, placed, in effect; the declared accounts in the list, none refused, each signed in once; its output read |
 | `betterbird_accounts` (r; a with `propose`) | the profile's accounts by count and kind (declarable, Owl's, others); with `propose`, the setting `accounts` built from them and proposed to the operator (ADR 0317 §9) |
 | `betterbird_reminder_test` (a) | a reminder on demand without the operator's calendar (below) |
 

modules/betterbird/cmd/betterbird-tools/betterbird.go

@@ -849,7 +849,8 @@ type CheckAnswer struct {
 }
 
 // Check verifies what the module promises: Betterbird installed, one running in the session, its
-// profile found, the module's user.js declared, valid, placed and in effect, and its output read.
+// profile found, the module's user.js declared, valid, placed and in effect, its output read, and no ask at its
+// start to be the default mail client (novox/hq issue 345).
 func (m *Machine) Check() (CheckAnswer, error) {
 	a := CheckAnswer{Findings: []Finding{}}
 	add := func(what, do string) { a.Findings = append(a.Findings, Finding{what, do}) }
@@ -875,6 +876,10 @@ func (m *Machine) Check() (CheckAnswer, error) {
 	if in.From == "the mesh" && !strings.HasPrefix(in.Policy, "placed:") {
 		add("the enterprise policy is "+in.Policy, "push the module to this node")
 	}
+	if why := m.defaultClientAsk(profilePath); why != "" && in.From != "not installed" {
+		add("Betterbird asks at its start to be the default mail client: "+why,
+			"push the module to this node: its policy locks "+defaultClientPref+" off (novox/hq issue 345)")
+	}
 	switch {
 	case in.From != "the mesh":
 	case in.Owl == nil || in.Owl.Pinned == "":

modules/betterbird/cmd/betterbird-tools/install.go

@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ const (
 	// owlFile is Owl's xpi as the mesh placed it, and the URL the policy installs it from.
 	owlFile = installDir + "/owl/owl.xpi"
 	owlID   = "owl@beonex.com"
+	// defaultClientPref is Betterbird's ask at its start to be the default mail, news, feed and calendar
+	// client (Thunderbird's all-thunderbird.js: pref("mail.shell.checkDefaultClient", true); messenger.js opens
+	// systemIntegrationDialog.xhtml while it is true). The module's policy locks it off (novox/hq issue 345).
+	defaultClientPref = "mail.shell.checkDefaultClient"
 	// preparation is the tools' program as the module places it for its start (betterbird-tools prepare).
 	preparation = "/usr/local/lib/mesh-betterbird/betterbird-tools"
 	// versionsURL is where Betterbird publishes its newest build per major version: what its own updater
@@ -167,7 +171,8 @@ func (m *Machine) policyState() string {
 	if why := policyProblem(raw); why != "" {
 		return "placed, and " + why
 	}
-	return "placed: Betterbird's updater off, Owl installed into every profile from the mesh's xpi, its updates off"
+	return "placed: Betterbird's updater off, Owl installed into every profile from the mesh's xpi, its updates off, " +
+		"and the ask to be the default mail client locked off"
 }
 
 // policyProblem is what the policy fails to say of what ADR 0316 asks, or "".
@@ -180,6 +185,10 @@ func policyProblem(raw []byte) string {
 				URL      string `json:"install_url"`
 				Disabled bool   `json:"updates_disabled"`
 			} `json:"ExtensionSettings"`
+			Preferences map[string]struct {
+				Value  any    `json:"Value"`
+				Status string `json:"Status"`
+			} `json:"Preferences"`
 		} `json:"policies"`
 	}
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &p); err != nil {
@@ -196,9 +205,37 @@ func policyProblem(raw []byte) string {
 	case !owl.Disabled:
 		return "it leaves Owl's updates on"
 	}
+	if pr, ok := p.Policies.Preferences[defaultClientPref]; !ok || pr.Value != false || pr.Status != "locked" {
+		return "it does not lock Betterbird's ask to be the default mail client off (Preferences " + defaultClientPref + ": false, locked)"
+	}
 	return ""
 }
 
+// defaultClientAsk says why Betterbird asks at its start to be the default mail client, or "" when it does
+// not: the module's policy locks the ask off, else the profile's user.js (which wins at the start) or prefs.js
+// turns it off. Betterbird's own default is to ask.
+func (m *Machine) defaultClientAsk(profile string) string {
+	raw, err := readBounded(m.path(policyFile))
+	if err == nil && !strings.Contains(policyProblem(raw), defaultClientPref) {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if profile != "" {
+		for _, f := range []string{"user.js", "prefs.js"} {
+			b, err := readBounded(filepath.Join(profile, f))
+			if err != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := readPrefs(b)[defaultClientPref]; ok {
+				if v == "false" {
+					return ""
+				}
+				return "the profile's " + f + " sets " + defaultClientPref + " to " + v + " and no policy locks it off"
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return "no policy locks " + defaultClientPref + " off and Betterbird's default is to ask"
+}
+
 // xpiVersion is the version an add-on's manifest.json says, or "" when it cannot be read.
 func xpiVersion(path string) string {
 	r, err := zip.OpenReader(path)

modules/betterbird/cmd/betterbird-tools/install_test.go

@@ -172,3 +172,60 @@ func TestTheUserJSDescriptionSaysAdoption(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// Betterbird never asks at its start to be the default mail client: the module's policy locks
+// mail.shell.checkDefaultClient off, and the check says so when it is on (novox/hq issue 345).
+func TestTheDefaultClientAskIsLockedOffAndTheCheckSaysWhenItIsOn(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFake(t)
+	f.betterbird()
+	f.placedByTheMesh()
+	links(t, nil)
+	asks := func() string {
+		t.Helper()
+		c, err := f.Check()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		for _, x := range c.Findings {
+			if strings.Contains(x.What, "asks at its start") {
+				return x.What + " | " + x.Do
+			}
+		}
+		return ""
+	}
+	if got := asks(); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("the module's policy locks the ask off, yet: %s", got)
+	}
+	unlocked := `{"policies": {"DisableAppUpdate": true, "ExtensionSettings": {"owl@beonex.com": {"installation_mode": "force_installed",
+	  "install_url": "file:///opt/betterbird/owl/owl.xpi", "updates_disabled": true}}}}`
+	if why := policyProblem([]byte(unlocked)); !strings.Contains(why, defaultClientPref) {
+		t.Fatalf("a policy that leaves the ask on is said: %q", why)
+	}
+	f.write(policyFile, unlocked)
+	if got := asks(); !strings.Contains(got, "default mail client") || !strings.Contains(got, "push the module") {
+		t.Fatalf("the ask on is a finding with its remedy: %q", got)
+	}
+	f.write(policyFile, `{"policies": {"DisableAppUpdate": true, "Preferences": {"mail.shell.checkDefaultClient": {"Value": false, "Status": "default"}},
+	  "ExtensionSettings": {"owl@beonex.com": {"installation_mode": "force_installed", "install_url": "file:///opt/betterbird/owl/owl.xpi", "updates_disabled": true}}}}`)
+	if why := policyProblem(mustRead(t, f, policyFile)); !strings.Contains(why, "locked") {
+		t.Fatalf("a default the profile can override is not a lock: %q", why)
+	}
+	f.write(profileDir+"/prefs.js", `user_pref("mail.shell.checkDefaultClient", true);`+"\n")
+	if got := asks(); got == "" {
+		t.Fatal("a profile that turned the ask back on over an unlocked default is a finding")
+	}
+	f.write(policyFile, unlocked)
+	f.write(profileDir+"/prefs.js", `user_pref("mail.shell.checkDefaultClient", false);`+"\n")
+	if got := asks(); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("a profile with the ask off does not ask: %s", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func mustRead(t *testing.T, f *fake, p string) []byte {
+	t.Helper()
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(f.Root, p))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return raw
+}

modules/betterbird/install/distribution/policies.json

@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
         "install_url": "file:///opt/betterbird/owl/owl.xpi",
         "updates_disabled": true
       }
+    },
+    "Preferences": {
+      "mail.shell.checkDefaultClient": {
+        "Value": false,
+        "Status": "locked"
+      }
     }
   }
 }

modules/gitea/client.ts

@@ -49,6 +49,23 @@ export interface GiteaIssue {
   body?: string;
 }
 
+/**
+ * **The branch a pull request was opened from, also once it is deleted** (novox/hq issue 578). The forge says it as
+ * `head.ref` while the branch exists; once it is gone — the merge tool deletes it after the merge by default —
+ * `head.ref` reads `refs/pull/<n>/head`, and only `head.label` still names the branch. A delivery group is the pull
+ * requests sharing a head branch name (novox/hq ADR 0249), and the controller finds a merge's group, and joins the
+ * group's merges in one batch, by the head its `pull.merged` names (ADR 0276 decision 5, ADR 0306 decision 2). With
+ * the pull ref it found no group: on 2026-10-12 mesh-catalog #251's walk was cut at once and went before
+ * mesh-controller #271's, which the group's order put first.
+ */
+export function headBranchOf(head: { ref?: unknown; label?: unknown } | null | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const said = (v: unknown): string | undefined => (typeof v === "string" && v !== "" ? v : undefined);
+  const ref = said(head?.ref);
+  const label = said(head?.label);
+  if (ref === undefined || /^refs\/pull\/\d+\/head$/.test(ref)) return label ?? ref;
+  return ref;
+}
+
 /** A pull request, trimmed to the fields a reviewer or an event body needs. */
 export interface GiteaPull {
   number: number;
@@ -341,6 +358,57 @@ export class GiteaClient {
     return out;
   }
 
+  /** **Every open pull request of a repository**, page by page (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4): what a trunk's move puts out of
+   *  date, however many are open, whatever their update time (a pass announces from listOpenPullsSince). Bounded at
+   *  20 pages of 50; a repository with more is said, and the rest are left to the merge tool's own comparison. */
+  async listOpenPulls(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<GiteaPull[]> {
+    const out: GiteaPull[] = [];
+    for (let page = 1; page <= 20; page++) {
+      const batch = await this.listPullRequests(owner, repo, { state: "open", limit: "50", page: String(page) });
+      out.push(...batch);
+      if (batch.length < 50) return out;
+    }
+    console.error(`[gitea] ${owner}/${repo} has more than 1000 open pull requests; only the first 1000 are read`);
+    return out;
+  }
+
+  /** **The open pull requests of a repository updated since a moment**, newest first, page by page (novox/hq issue
+   *  579): what a pass announces new heads from. The forge sorts `recentupdate` by update time, newest first, so the
+   *  paging stops at the first page that reaches back past `since`; with no moment — a sweep or the first pass —
+   *  every page is read. Bounded like listOpenPulls at 20 pages of 50. A pull request seen twice, pushed up a page
+   *  while the pages were read, is answered once. */
+  async listOpenPullsSince(owner: string, repo: string, since: string): Promise<GiteaPull[]> {
+    const out: GiteaPull[] = [];
+    const seen = new Set<number>();
+    const floor = since ? Date.parse(since) : NaN;
+    for (let page = 1; page <= 20; page++) {
+      const batch = await this.listPullRequests(owner, repo, { state: "open", sort: "recentupdate", limit: "50", page: String(page) });
+      for (const p of batch) {
+        if (seen.has(p.number)) continue;
+        seen.add(p.number);
+        out.push(p);
+      }
+      if (batch.length < 50) return out;
+      const oldest = batch[batch.length - 1]?.updated_at;
+      if (!Number.isNaN(floor) && oldest && Date.parse(oldest) < floor) return out;
+    }
+    console.error(`[gitea] ${owner}/${repo} has more than 1000 open pull requests updated since ${since || "ever"}; only the newest 1000 are read`);
+    return out;
+  }
+
+  /** The commit a branch is at now: a trunk's head (novox/hq ADR 0323). */
+  async branchHead(owner: string, repo: string, branch: string): Promise<string> {
+    const b = await this.request<any>(`${repoPath(owner, repo)}/branches/${pathSegments("branch", branch)}`);
+    const sha = String(b?.commit?.id ?? "");
+    if (!/^[0-9a-f]{40,64}$/i.test(sha)) throw new Error(`the forge named no commit for ${owner}/${repo}'s ${branch}`);
+    return sha;
+  }
+
+  /** One repository, as the forge holds it: its clone URL above all, for an announcement. */
+  async getRepo(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<GiteaRepo> {
+    return GiteaClient.mapRepo(await this.request<any>(repoPath(owner, repo)));
+  }
+
   async getPullRequest(owner: string, repo: string, index: number): Promise<GiteaPull> {
     indexOf(index);
     return GiteaClient.mapPull(await this.request<any>(`${repoPath(owner, repo)}/pulls/${index}`));
@@ -646,7 +714,7 @@ export class GiteaClient {
       merge_commit_sha: p.merge_commit_sha ?? undefined,
       merged_at: p.merged_at ?? undefined,
       user: p.user?.login,
-      head: p.head?.ref,
+      head: headBranchOf(p.head),
       head_sha: p.head?.sha ?? undefined,
       base: p.base?.ref,
       updated_at: p.updated_at ?? undefined,

modules/gitea/gate.ts

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 // restart, when the check was opened is read from the forge's own history of the gate.
 
 import { CHECK_CONTEXT, pendingWords } from "./pulls.js";
-import type { CommitStatus } from "./client.js";
+import type { CommitStatus, HeadCheck } from "./client.js";
 
 /** The build seat's `started`, as mesh-controller's link.BuildStart publishes it. */
 export interface BuildStarted {
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ export interface GateForge {
   gateOf(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string): Promise<{ state: string; updated_at?: string } | undefined>;
   /** The head's mesh/merge-gate statuses, every one the forge keeps, newest first (novox/hq issue 456). */
   gateHistory(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string): Promise<GateStatus[]>;
+  /** The head's statuses by context, the newest of each, with their words (novox/hq ADR 0323). */
+  headChecks(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string): Promise<Record<string, HeadCheck>>;
 }
 
 /** One status of a head's gate as the forge keeps it: its state, its words, and when it was set. */
@@ -174,6 +176,26 @@ export class GateWriter {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * **A trunk's move puts the head's verdict out of date** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4): its merge check statuses are put back
+   * to pending, with the reason, in their turn after every write of the head already asked for — a verdict in flight
+   * lands first. What is written is decided in the turn, from the statuses the forge holds then (`decide`, trunk.ts's
+   * outOfDateStatuses): a check on its way, or a verdict already judged against the trunk's head, is left as it is. It
+   * opens no check — nothing is asked — so a verdict of a check asked before it keeps its weight. Answers what it wrote;
+   * a write that fails fails the caller, and the move is weighed again on the next pass.
+   */
+  outOfDate(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string,
+    decide: (checks: Record<string, HeadCheck>) => CommitStatus[] | Promise<CommitStatus[]>, target?: string): Promise<CommitStatus[]> {
+    const h = this.head(owner, repo, sha);
+    const written: CommitStatus[] = [];
+    return this.turn(h, async () => {
+      for (const s of await decide(await this.forge.headChecks(owner, repo, sha))) {
+        await this.forge.setCommitStatus(owner, repo, sha, target ? { ...s, target_url: target } : s);
+        written.push(s);
+      }
+    }).then(() => written);
+  }
+
   /**
    * A build machine took an ask of this head: said while no verdict was heard, and only for the check now pending —
    * a start from before the pending words were set (a run before a recheck, the stream's history) is not this check's.

modules/gitea/index.ts

@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@
 // Consumes node-build-agent.started — a build machine took an ask — and says, on the head a pending check is of,
 // which machine builds it since when (novox/hq issue 446). This module is the one writer of mesh/merge-gate.
 //
-// Serves gitea_commit_status from this bundle, not the tools', so a recheck's pending reaches that one writer
-// (novox/hq issue 456).
+// **A trunk's move puts every open verdict into it out of date** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4, trunk.ts): each pass reads the
+// head of every trunk an open pull request merges into, and when one moved, the merge check statuses of every open pull
+// request into it go back to pending with the reason. Nothing is run for it. A verdict that lands judged against a trunk
+// commit that is no longer the trunk's head is said out of date in place of its pass or failure.
+//
+// Serves gitea_commit_status and gitea_merge_pull_request from this bundle, not the tools', so a recheck's pending and
+// the merge tool's ask of a check reach that one writer (novox/hq issue 456, ADR 0323).
 //
 // Every pull request the forge holds is announced, whatever its repository: the controller holds the
 // module graph and decides what is checked — a repository is never asked to opt in.
@@ -34,10 +39,12 @@
 import { emit, on } from "@novox/mesh-sdk/events";
 import { registerModuleTools } from "@novox/mesh-sdk/tools";
 import { commitStatusTool } from "./delivery.js";
+import { mergeTool } from "./merge.js";
 import { GiteaClient, movedSince } from "./client.js";
 import { CHECK_CONTEXT, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT, commentFor, headsToAnnounce, statusesFor, type Announced, type Checked,
   type RepoCheckFacts, reposToLook } from "./pulls.js";
 import { GateWriter, clonedAs, type BuildStarted } from "./gate.js";
+import { announcementOf, keepTook, lateVerdictComment, outOfDateWords, sameCommit, tookFile, weighTrunks } from "./trunk.js";
 
 // Without a way to a token — configured, or mintable with the admin account (token.ts) — there is
 // nothing to watch; log and stay quiet rather than crash the runtime. With one, the first poll mints
@@ -245,42 +252,15 @@ async function pollPulls(client: GiteaClient): Promise<void> {
   }
   if (sweep) lastSweep = Date.now();
   for (const repo of reposToLook(await client.listAllRepos(), floor, updated, sweep)) {
-    const open = await client.listPullRequests(repo.owner, repo.name, { state: "open", sort: "recentupdate", limit: "20" });
+    // Every open pull request updated since the floor, paged (novox/hq issue 579): the newest 20 alone left a head
+    // beyond them unannounced. A sweep and the first pass read every page.
+    const open = await client.listOpenPullsSince(repo.owner, repo.name, sweep ? "" : floor);
     for (const pull of headsToAnnounce(repo.full_name, open, heads)) {
       const key = `${repo.full_name}#${pull.number}`;
       const fresh = primedPulls || (!!pull.updated_at && pull.updated_at > dayAgo);
       if (fresh) {
-        const files = await client.listPullFiles(repo.owner, repo.name, pull.number);
-        const head = String(pull.head_sha);
-        // What the controller maps the change onto the mesh's module graph with (novox/hq ADR 0237 as
-        // amended): which changed directories hold a module at the head — the merge's rule (issue 278) —
-        // and whether the head holds the repository's own merge-check.sh. Not said when it could not be
-        // read; the controller then reads the change as touching everything built from the repository.
-        let moduleDirs: string[] | null = null;
-        let mergeCheck: boolean | null = null;
-        try {
-          if (!files.truncated) moduleDirs = await client.moduleDirsAt(repo.owner, repo.name, head, files.paths);
-          mergeCheck = await client.holdsFile(repo.owner, repo.name, head, "merge-check.sh");
-        } catch (err) {
-          console.error(`[gitea] ${key}: what the head holds could not be read — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
-        }
-        await emit("pull.updated", {
-          owner: repo.owner,
-          repo: repo.name,
-          number: pull.number,
-          title: pull.title,
-          body: pull.body,
-          base: pull.base,
-          head: pull.head,
-          head_sha: pull.head_sha,
-          clone_url: repo.clone_url,
-          html_url: pull.html_url,
-          paths: files.paths,
-          paths_truncated: files.truncated,
-          removed: files.removed,
-          ...(moduleDirs ? { module_dirs: moduleDirs, module_dirs_said: true } : {}),
-          ...(mergeCheck !== null ? { merge_check: mergeCheck, merge_check_said: true } : {}),
-        });
+        // The announcement the merge tool makes too when it asks a check (trunk.ts, novox/hq ADR 0323 §5).
+        await emit("pull.updated", await announcementOf(client, repo.owner, repo.name, repo.clone_url, pull));
         // Said, so an operator knows the mesh was asked to check it.
         console.log(`[gitea] announced ${key} at ${String(pull.head_sha).slice(0, 8)} to be checked before it merges`);
         // Pending until the verdict comes, so the pull request says a check is running rather than nothing — and
@@ -290,17 +270,52 @@ async function pollPulls(client: GiteaClient): Promise<void> {
       heads[key] = String(pull.head_sha);
       changed = true;
     }
+    if (await trunksMoved(client, repo.owner, repo.name)) changedTrunks = true;
   }
   if (!primedPulls || changed) keepHeads();
+  if (changedTrunks) keepTrunks();
+  changedTrunks = false;
   primedPulls = true;
   lastPullLook = began;
 }
 
+// **The trunks' heads, as this module last read them** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4), by `owner/repo:branch`: kept beside the
+// other records, so a move made while this module was away is weighed on its first pass back. With no record — the
+// first pass after this rolls out — a trunk's head is taken as it is and nothing is put out of date: the verdicts
+// then standing are weighed on the trunk's next move, and the merge tool compares commits whatever this holds.
+const trunksRecord = process.env.MESH_GITEA_STATE_DIR ? join(process.env.MESH_GITEA_STATE_DIR, "trunks-seen.json") : null;
+let trunks: Record<string, string> = {};
+let changedTrunks = false;
+if (trunksRecord && existsSync(trunksRecord)) {
+  try {
+    trunks = (JSON.parse(readFileSync(trunksRecord, "utf8")) as { trunks: Record<string, string> }).trunks ?? {};
+  } catch {
+    // An unreadable record is no record: the next pass takes each trunk's head as it is.
+  }
+}
+function keepTrunks(): void {
+  if (!trunksRecord) return;
+  mkdirSync(join(trunksRecord, ".."), { recursive: true });
+  const tmp = trunksRecord + ".tmp";
+  writeFileSync(tmp, JSON.stringify({ trunks }));
+  renameSync(tmp, trunksRecord);
+}
+
+/** Whether a trunk of one repository moved, weighed with this module's forge and its one writer (trunk.ts). */
+function trunksMoved(client: GiteaClient, owner: string, name: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  return weighTrunks(client, gates, trunks, owner, name);
+}
+
 // **The verdict, set where the pull request shows it.** Every verdict is the head commit's status; one
 // that is not a pass also leaves the check's own account as a comment, so the reason is read where the
 // change is reviewed. An error — the check could not run — is the forge's `error`, never a success.
 async function setVerdict(client: GiteaClient, event: { body: unknown }): Promise<void> {
   const c = (event.body ?? {}) as Checked;
+  if (!c.group && c.owner && c.repo && c.took) {
+    // How long it took, for the merge tool to say how long the next one may (novox/hq ADR 0323 §5).
+    keepTook(tookFile(process.env.MESH_GITEA_STATE_DIR), `${c.owner}/${c.repo}`,
+      { took: c.took, at: new Date().toISOString(), head: c.commit });
+  }
   if (c.group) {
     // A delivery group's composed check (novox/hq ADR 0239): its verdict is the group owner's to say, on each
     // member's head, as mesh/delivery-group — never this head's merge gate.
@@ -318,6 +333,26 @@ async function setVerdict(client: GiteaClient, event: { body: unknown }): Promis
     target = pull?.html_url || undefined;
     base = pull?.base || undefined;
   }
+  // **A verdict judged against a trunk commit that is no longer the trunk's head is out of date when it lands**
+  // (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4): a check asked before the trunk moved. It is said so, pending with the reason, in place of
+  // its pass or failure; a trunk that cannot be read lets the verdict stand, and the merge tool compares the commits.
+  const trunk = base ?? c.plan?.base;
+  if (c.trunk && trunk) {
+    const head = await client.branchHead(c.owner, c.repo, trunk).catch(() => undefined);
+    if (head && !sameCommit(c.trunk, head)) {
+      const description = outOfDateWords(c.trunk, head);
+      for (const context of [CHECK_CONTEXT, ...(c["repo-check"] ? [REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT] : [])]) {
+        await client.setCommitStatus(c.owner, c.repo, c.commit, { state: "pending", context, description,
+          ...(target ? { target_url: target } : {}) });
+      }
+      // Its account is kept and shown all the same (ADR 0323 §7): what it judged, and that it is out of date.
+      const said = commentFor(c, await repoCheckFacts(client, c, trunk));
+      if (c.number) await client.addComment(c.owner, c.repo, c.number, lateVerdictComment(c, said, description));
+      console.log(`[gitea] ${c.owner}/${c.repo}#${c.number ?? "?"} at ${c.commit.slice(0, 8)}: merge check ${c.verdict}, ` +
+        `${description}`);
+      return;
+    }
+  }
   const facts = await repoCheckFacts(client, c, base ?? c.plan?.base);
   for (const status of statusesFor(c, facts)) {
     await client.setCommitStatus(c.owner, c.repo, c.commit, target ? { ...status, target_url: target } : status);
@@ -350,6 +385,7 @@ const gates = new GateWriter({
   setCommitStatus: (owner, repo, sha, status) => (gitea as GiteaClient).setCommitStatus(owner, repo, sha, status),
   gateOf: async (owner, repo, sha) => (await (gitea as GiteaClient).headChecks(owner, repo, sha))[CHECK_CONTEXT],
   gateHistory: (owner, repo, sha) => (gitea as GiteaClient).contextHistory(owner, repo, sha, CHECK_CONTEXT),
+  headChecks: (owner, repo, sha) => (gitea as GiteaClient).headChecks(owner, repo, sha),
 });
 
 // **The status tool is served here, beside the writer** (novox/hq issue 456): the runtime starts each bundle as its own
@@ -358,7 +394,7 @@ const gates = new GateWriter({
 registerModuleTools("gitea", () => (gitea ? [commitStatusTool({
   setCommitStatus: (owner, repo, sha, status) => (gitea as GiteaClient).setCommitStatus(owner, repo, sha, status),
   gates,
-})] : []));
+}), mergeTool(gitea, { gates })] : []));
 
 // **A build machine took an ask** (the build seat's `started`, novox/hq ADR 0157): said on the head it checks, when
 // the head is an open pull request's this module announced. Any other build — a branch, a merge's — says nothing.

modules/gitea/merge.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+// The forge's merge tool, `gitea_merge_pull_request` (novox/hq ADR 0266, issue 381, ADR 0323).
+//
+// **Served from the watcher's bundle, beside the merge check's one writer** (index.ts, gate.ts; novox/hq issue 456):
+// when a verdict is judged against an earlier trunk commit than the trunk's head, the tool asks the head's check and
+// puts its statuses back to pending through that writer, so where the check runs is said and no second check is asked.
+// Each bundle the runtime serves is its own process; from the tools' bundle the pending bypassed the writer's chain.
+
+import { emit } from "@novox/mesh-sdk/events";
+import type { ToolDefinition } from "@novox/mesh-sdk/tools";
+import type { CommitStatus, GiteaClient } from "./client.js";
+import { mergeableUnder, newestByContext } from "./checks.js";
+import { MERGE_METHODS, Refused, checkName } from "./guard.js";
+import { CHECK_CONTEXT, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT } from "./pulls.js";
+import { announcementOf, askedWords, outOfDateWords, tookFile, tookWords, twelve, verdictAtTrunk } from "./trunk.js";
+
+/** A head named for a merge: at least 12 hex characters of its sha (novox/hq issue 381), up to a sha-256 commit's 64. */
+const REVIEWED_HEAD = /^[0-9a-f]{12,64}$/;
+
+/** What the merge tool reaches beside the forge: the merge check's one writer, how an event is said, the module's
+ *  state directory, and the clock. */
+export interface MergeDeps {
+  gates: { rechecked(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string, status: CommitStatus): Promise<void> };
+  emit?: (type: string, body: unknown) => Promise<void>;
+  stateDir?: string;
+  now?: () => Date;
+}
+
+export function mergeTool(gitea: GiteaClient, given: MergeDeps): ToolDefinition {
+  const deps = { ...given, emit: given.emit ?? emit, stateDir: given.stateDir ?? process.env.MESH_GITEA_STATE_DIR,
+    now: given.now ?? (() => new Date()) };
+  return {
+    name: "gitea_merge_pull_request",
+    description: "Merge a pull request at the head you name — the commit you reviewed — when that is still its head " +
+      "and every status its base branch's protection requires succeeded there (mesh/merge-gate, mesh/repo-check), " +
+      "judged against the trunk's head as it is now, optionally deleting the source branch afterwards. Refused " +
+      "otherwise, with nothing merged: no tool merges past a check, and none merges a head that moved after it was " +
+      "reviewed. A verdict judged against an earlier trunk commit is refused, naming both, and the head's check against " +
+      "the trunk's head is asked once, with how long the last check of the repository took: ask again at the same head " +
+      "once it passes — the tool never merges by itself.",
+    input: {
+      owner: { type: "string", description: "the repository owner" },
+      repo: { type: "string", description: "the repository name" },
+      number: { type: "number", description: "the PR number" },
+      head: { type: "string", description: "the commit you reviewed, as its sha or at least its first 12 characters: " +
+        "refused unless it is the pull request's head" },
+      method: { type: "string", description: "merge (default) | fast-forward-only | squash | rebase | rebase-merge. " +
+        "Only merge and fast-forward-only can be read back to prove the head you named is what landed" },
+      delete_branch: { type: "boolean", description: "delete the source branch after merge (default true)" },
+    },
+    run: async (args) => {
+      const owner = checkName("owner", args.owner);
+      const repo = checkName("name", args.repo);
+      const number = Number(args.number);
+      const method = args.method ? String(args.method) : "merge";
+      if (!MERGE_METHODS.has(method)) throw new Refused(`${method} is not a merge method: ${[...MERGE_METHODS].join(", ")}`);
+      const deleteBranch = args.delete_branch === undefined ? true : Boolean(args.delete_branch);
+      // **Only a head whose required statuses all succeeded** (novox/hq ADR 0266): read here rather than left
+      // to the forge, whose administrator — the account this tool's token is minted for — may merge past a
+      // rule that lets it. A rule that cannot be read is no rule passed.
+      // **Only the head that was reviewed** (novox/hq issue 381): mesh-controller#197 was reviewed at 065cfa0d,
+      // force-pushed to 3ced96f, checked green there, and merged at 3ced96f, because this tool merged whatever the
+      // head was and nothing told it which head the review had approved. The caller names it; a head that moved
+      // since is refused, and the forge is handed the same head, so a push between this read and the merge is
+      // refused by the forge too.
+      const named = args.head === undefined ? "" : String(args.head).trim().toLowerCase();
+      if (!named) {
+        throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: name the head you reviewed (head), so that only ` +
+          `that commit can land (novox/hq issue 381). Nothing was merged`);
+      }
+      // Twelve characters, not seven: an author who force-pushes can make a commit whose first seven match the
+      // reviewed one in seconds, and the review would then merge it. Twelve cannot be matched that way.
+      if (!REVIEWED_HEAD.test(named)) {
+        throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: head ${named} does not name one commit — give its ` +
+          `sha, or at least its first 12 characters. Nothing was merged`);
+      }
+      const pull = await gitea.getPullRequest(owner, repo, number);
+      if (pull.merged) throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is already merged`);
+      if (!pull.head_sha || !pull.base) throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} names no head commit or base branch`);
+      if (!pull.head_sha.toLowerCase().startsWith(named)) {
+        throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: its head is ${pull.head_sha.slice(0, 12)}, not the ` +
+          `${named} you named. If you reviewed an earlier head, review the one it has now, then name it. Nothing was merged`);
+      }
+      const rule = await gitea.branchProtection(owner, repo, pull.base);
+      // Only into a branch whose protection requires the checks: a pull request whose base was moved to a
+      // branch nothing guards would merge past every check (novox/hq ADR 0266).
+      if (!rule || !rule.enable_status_check || !(rule.status_check_contexts ?? []).filter(Boolean).length) {
+        throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} merges into ${pull.base}, which no protection rule requiring ` +
+          `the checks guards: a tool merges only into such a branch (novox/hq ADR 0266). Nothing was merged`);
+      }
+      // **The verdict must be judged against the trunk's head** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §5, issue 341): a check judges the
+      // head merged into a named trunk commit, and a merge of another trunk is not the one that check judged. Compared
+      // here at the moment the merge is asked, not left to the statuses the trunk's move resets a pass later. When they
+      // differ nothing is merged, and the head's check against the trunk's head is asked once — the announcement a new
+      // head makes — never again while one is on its way. The caller asks again at the reviewed head once it passes.
+      const trunkHead = await gitea.branchHead(owner, repo, pull.base);
+      const checks = await gitea.headChecks(owner, repo, pull.head_sha);
+      const at = verdictAtTrunk(checks, trunkHead);
+      if (!at.current) {
+        const judged = at.judged ? `was judged against trunk ${twelve(at.judged)}` : "names no trunk commit it was judged against";
+        const took = tookWords(tookFile(deps.stateDir), `${owner}/${repo}`);
+        const head = twelve(pull.head_sha), now = twelve(trunkHead);
+        if (at.onItsWay) {
+          throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: its verdict ${judged}, and ${pull.base} is now ` +
+            `${now}. Its check is already asked and not yet answered (${checks[CHECK_CONTEXT]?.description}), so it is not ` +
+            `asked again; ${took}. Ask again at ${head} once both statuses pass: this tool never merges by itself ` +
+              `(novox/hq ADR 0323). A check that never answers is asked again with mesh-delivery.recheck. Nothing was merged`);
+        }
+        // Pending first, so a second ask finds the check on its way; then the head is announced as a new head is. An
+        // announcement that cannot be made puts the statuses back to out of date, so the next ask asks again rather
+        // than wait for ever on a check nobody asked.
+        const contexts = [CHECK_CONTEXT, ...(checks[REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT] ? [REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT] : [])];
+        // Through the module's one writer of the merge check (gate.ts, novox/hq issue 456): the pending opens a new
+        // check of the head, so where it runs is said ("building on …") and its verdict is not weighed as older.
+        const say = async (description: string) => {
+          for (const context of contexts) {
+            await deps.gates.rechecked(owner, repo, String(pull.head_sha), { state: "pending", context, description,
+              ...(pull.html_url ? { target_url: pull.html_url } : {}) });
+          }
+        };
+        await say(askedWords(deps.now(), trunkHead));
+        try {
+          const cloneURL = (await gitea.getRepo(owner, repo)).clone_url;
+          await deps.emit("pull.updated", await announcementOf(gitea, owner, repo, cloneURL, pull));
+        } catch (err) {
+          await say(outOfDateWords(at.judged, trunkHead)).catch(() => {});
+          throw new Error(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: its verdict ${judged}, and ${pull.base} is now ` +
+            `${now}, and its check could not be asked: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}. Nothing was merged`);
+        }
+        throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: its verdict ${judged}, and ${pull.base} is now ` +
+          `${now}. The check of head ${head} merged into trunk ${now} was asked; ${took}. Ask again at ${head} once both ` +
+          `statuses pass: this tool never merges by itself (novox/hq ADR 0323). In a busy repository another merge may ` +
+            `move the trunk again first; this is then refused and asked once more. A check that never answers is asked ` +
+            `again with mesh-delivery.recheck. Nothing was merged`);
+      }
+      const statuses = newestByContext((await gitea.combinedStatus(owner, repo, pull.head_sha)).statuses);
+      const verdict = mergeableUnder(pull.base, rule, statuses);
+      if (verdict.mergeable !== true) {
+        throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: ${verdict.says}. A pull request merges once ` +
+          `its checks succeed; no tool merges past them (novox/hq ADR 0266)`);
+      }
+      await gitea.mergePullRequest(owner, repo, number, method, deleteBranch, pull.head_sha);
+      // The merge commit only exists now; answered so the caller can follow what is built from it.
+      // pull.merged is the events entrypoint's to announce (index.ts), once, within its poll.
+      // From here the merge has happened. Nothing below may read as if it had not: a read-back that fails or cannot
+      // be done is said beside merged: true, and only a proven other head is an error — one that says the merge happened.
+      const answer: Record<string, unknown> = { merged: true, number, method, head: pull.head_sha, deleted_branch: deleteBranch };
+      let landed: string | undefined;
+      try {
+        const merged = await gitea.getPullRequest(owner, repo, number);
+        answer.merge_commit_sha = merged.merge_commit_sha;
+        // What landed, read back from the commit the merge made rather than from the forge's record of the pull
+        // request, which is the very thing a race would leave behind. A merge commit's second parent is the head it
+        // joined; a fast-forward lands the head itself. A squash or a rebase makes new commits that name no head.
+        if (!merged.merge_commit_sha) {
+          answer.read_back = "the forge named no merge commit, so what landed cannot be read back";
+        } else if (method === "merge") {
+          const parents = await gitea.commitParents(owner, repo, merged.merge_commit_sha);
+          if (parents.length === 2) landed = parents[1];
+          else answer.read_back = `the merge commit has ${parents.length} parent(s), not two: what landed cannot be read back`;
+        } else if (method === "fast-forward-only") {
+          // That the forge names the head itself as a fast-forward's merge commit is assumed, not seen on this forge:
+          // a different sha is said, not raised as another head having landed.
+          if (merged.merge_commit_sha === pull.head_sha) landed = merged.merge_commit_sha;
+          else answer.read_back = `the forge named ${merged.merge_commit_sha.slice(0, 12)} as this fast-forward's commit, ` +
+            `not the head: that the head landed could not be confirmed`;
+        } else {
+          answer.read_back = `a ${method} makes new commits that name no head: what landed cannot be read back`;
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        answer.read_back = `the merge happened, but reading back what landed failed: ${(err as Error).message}`;
+      }
+      // Loud, not a field beside merged: true that a caller reading only that would miss. The merge cannot be taken
+      // back by this tool; what must not happen is that it reads as the merge that was asked for.
+      if (landed !== undefined && landed !== pull.head_sha) {
+        throw new Error(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} WAS merged (${answer.merge_commit_sha}), but the forge merged ` +
+          `${landed.slice(0, 12)}, not the ${pull.head_sha.slice(0, 12)} it was handed and you reviewed: a commit nobody ` +
+          `reviewed has landed. Read it before anything is built from it (novox/hq issue 381)`);
+      }
+      if (landed !== undefined) answer.landed = landed;
+      return answer;
+    },
+  };
+}

modules/gitea/pulls.ts

@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ export interface Checked {
   plan?: ChangePlan;
   /** Set on a delivery group's composed check (novox/hq ADR 0239): not this head's merge gate. */
   group?: string;
+  /** The trunk commit the head was merged into and judged as, twelve characters (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3); absent from a
+   *  controller whose build seat judged the head alone. Beside are the other repositories' commits the check read,
+   *  by directory; took how long it ran. */
+  trunk?: string;
+  beside?: Record<string, string>;
+  took?: string;
 }
 
 /** A change plan, as the controller says it (mesh-controller internal/link, ChangePlan). */
@@ -199,17 +205,25 @@ export function statusFor(c: Checked): CommitStatus {
   const description = builds(c.plan)
     ? described(gate.verdict, `${c.plan!.summary}; ${gate.summary}`)
     : described(gate.verdict, gate.summary, gate.modules, gate.dependents);
-  return { state: stateOf(gate.verdict), context: CHECK_CONTEXT, description };
+  return judgedFirst(c, { state: stateOf(gate.verdict), context: CHECK_CONTEXT, description });
 }
 
 /** Every status a verdict sets: the gate's, and the repository's own check's when it was said. */
 export function statusesFor(c: Checked, facts: RepoCheckFacts = {}): CommitStatus[] {
   const out = [statusFor(c)];
   const repo = c["repo-check"];
-  if (repo) out.push(repoStatus(repo, facts));
+  if (repo) out.push(judgedFirst(c, repoStatus(repo, facts)));
   return out;
 }
 
+/** **A status names what its verdict judged, first** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3): "head 1a2b3c4d5e6f merged into trunk
+ *  7a8b9c0d1e2f — pass: …", so the forge's 140 characters never clip it away; the trunk's move is weighed by it. A
+ *  verdict that names no trunk commit is said as before. */
+function judgedFirst(c: Checked, status: CommitStatus): CommitStatus {
+  if (!c.trunk) return status;
+  return { ...status, description: clipped(`head ${c.commit.slice(0, 12)} merged into trunk ${c.trunk.slice(0, 12)} — ${status.description}`) };
+}
+
 /** The comment a verdict leaves on its pull request, with the check's own account: the change plan of a
  *  change that builds something (novox/hq ADR 0238), and why, when the gate is not a pass or the
  *  repository's own check failed or could not run. A repository with no merge-check.sh, touching nothing,
@@ -220,6 +234,12 @@ export function commentFor(c: Checked, facts: RepoCheckFacts = {}): string | nul
   const wrong = repoWrong(repo, facts);
   if (gate.verdict === "pass" && !wrong && !builds(c.plan)) return null;
   const lines = [`**Merge check** at \`${c.commit.slice(0, 8)}\``, ""];
+  if (c.trunk) {
+    // What was judged (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3): the head merged into the trunk commit, and what was read beside it.
+    const beside = Object.entries(c.beside ?? {}).map(([d, sha]) => `${d} \`${sha}\``).join(", ");
+    lines.splice(1, 0, `Judged: head \`${c.commit.slice(0, 12)}\` merged into trunk \`${c.trunk.slice(0, 12)}\`` +
+      (beside ? `; read beside it: ${beside}` : ""));
+  }
   lines.push(`- \`${CHECK_CONTEXT}\`: **${saidAs(gate.verdict).toUpperCase()}** — ${gate.summary}` +
     (gate.modules?.length ? ` (modules: ${gate.modules.join(", ")}` +
       (gate.dependents?.length ? `; built after them: ${gate.dependents.join(", ")}` : "") + ")" : ""));

modules/gitea/test/announcing.test.ts

@@ -93,3 +93,47 @@ test("a pull request or issue number that is not one is refused before the forge
     server.close();
   }
 });
+
+// **A merge names the branch it came from, also once that branch is deleted** (novox/hq issue 578). On 2026-10-12
+// the merge tool merged mesh-controller #271 and mesh-catalog #251, one delivery group, and deleted each branch. The
+// forge then read each pull request's head.ref as `refs/pull/<n>/head`, and `pull.merged` named that as the head: the
+// controller asked mesh-delivery for a group of that name, found none, and cut #251's walk at once, before #271's,
+// which the group's order put first.
+test("a merged pull request whose branch was deleted is announced with its branch, not its pull ref", async () => {
+  const { GiteaClient, headBranchOf } = await import("../client.ts");
+  const group = "feat/341-a-merge-check-judges-the-merge";
+  // As the forge answered for #251 after its merge.
+  const merged = {
+    number: 251, title: "A verdict goes out of date when its trunk moves", state: "closed", merged: true,
+    merged_at: "2026-10-12T16:11:29Z", merge_commit_sha: "23ea0f431faf91aa83e7b0297e0a9e442180f0c7",
+    head: { label: group, ref: "refs/pull/251/head", sha: "41b6e10077efdef694b519879fcbaeaf69d472b1" },
+    base: { label: "main", ref: "main" }, html_url: "http://fake/novox/mesh-catalog/pulls/251",
+  };
+  const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+    const url = req.url ?? "";
+    const send = (v: unknown) => res.end(JSON.stringify(v));
+    if (url.startsWith("/api/v1/repos/novox/mesh-catalog/pulls/251")) return send(merged);
+    if (url.startsWith("/api/v1/repos/novox/mesh-catalog/pulls?")) return send([merged]);
+    res.statusCode = 404;
+    res.end("{}");
+  });
+  await new Promise<void>((r) => server.listen(0, r));
+  const client = new GiteaClient(`http://127.0.0.1:${(server.address() as any).port}`, "t");
+  try {
+    // What the announcer reads each pass, and what `pull.merged` carries as its head.
+    const listed = await client.listPullRequests("novox", "mesh-catalog", { state: "closed", sort: "recentupdate", limit: "20" });
+    assert.deepEqual(listed.map((p) => p.head), [group], "the pass names the group's branch, never refs/pull/251/head");
+    assert.equal((await client.getPullRequest("novox", "mesh-catalog", 251)).head, group);
+  } finally {
+    server.close();
+  }
+  // While the branch exists the forge says it as ref, and that is what is named; a label alone is the branch too.
+  assert.equal(headBranchOf({ label: "feat/x", ref: "feat/x" }), "feat/x");
+  assert.equal(headBranchOf({ label: "feat/x" }), "feat/x");
+  assert.equal(headBranchOf({ ref: "feat/x" }), "feat/x");
+  // A branch whose own name only looks like a pull ref's start is still a branch.
+  assert.equal(headBranchOf({ label: "y", ref: "refs/pulled" }), "refs/pulled");
+  // No label to read: the pull ref is all the forge said, and it is kept rather than made up.
+  assert.equal(headBranchOf({ ref: "refs/pull/7/head" }), "refs/pull/7/head");
+  assert.equal(headBranchOf(undefined), undefined);
+});

modules/gitea/test/guard.test.ts

@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@
 import { test, after, beforeEach } from "node:test";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import { createServer, type IncomingMessage, type ServerResponse } from "node:http";
-import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdtempSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
 
 import { GiteaClient } from "../dist/client.js";
 import { ConfiguredToken } from "../dist/token.js";
 import { getGiteaTools } from "../dist/tools/index.js";
+import { mergeTool } from "../dist/merge.js";
 import { commitStatusTool } from "../dist/delivery.js";
 import { GateWriter } from "../dist/gate.js";
 import { judgeApiCall, judgeProtectionChange, ruleCovers, routedPath } from "../dist/guard.js";
@@ -21,7 +24,11 @@ interface Sent { method: string; path: string; body: any }
 const state = {
   sent: [] as Sent[],
   asked: [] as string[],
-  statuses: [] as { context: string; state: string }[],
+  statuses: [] as { context: string; state: string; description?: string; updated_at?: string }[],
+  // The trunk's head (novox/hq ADR 0323): what the merge tool compares the verdict's trunk commit with.
+  trunk: "",
+  // What the tools said on the bus.
+  emitted: [] as { type: string; body: any }[],
   rules: [] as any[],
   lastCommit: "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
   // The pull request's head; the head the merge commit joined (the same, unless a test says otherwise) — the forge's
@@ -36,13 +43,21 @@ const state = {
   commitsFail: 0,
 };
 const REVIEWED = "abc1234def5678901234567890abcdef12345678";
+const TRUNK = "7a8b9c0d1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d3e4f5a6b";
+const MOVED = "3c4d5e6f7a8b9c0d1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d";
+// A verdict judged against a trunk commit, as both statuses say it (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3).
+const judgedAt = (trunk: string, state = "success") => [
+  { context: "mesh/merge-gate", state, description: `head ${REVIEWED.slice(0, 12)} merged into trunk ${trunk.slice(0, 12)} — pass: x` },
+  { context: "mesh/repo-check", state, description: `head ${REVIEWED.slice(0, 12)} merged into trunk ${trunk.slice(0, 12)} — pass: y` }];
 const protectedMain = () => ({ rule_name: "main", enable_push: false, enable_status_check: true,
   status_check_contexts: ["mesh/merge-gate", "mesh/repo-check"], block_admin_merge_override: true });
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   state.sent = [];
   state.asked = [];
-  state.statuses = [{ context: "mesh/merge-gate", state: "success" }, { context: "mesh/repo-check", state: "success" }];
+  state.statuses = judgedAt(TRUNK);
+  state.trunk = TRUNK;
+  state.emitted = [];
   state.rules = [protectedMain()];
   state.head = REVIEWED;
   state.landed = "";
@@ -73,6 +88,15 @@ const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
   const repo = "/repos/novox/mesh-catalog";
   if (method === "GET" && path === repo) return json(res, 200, { full_name: "novox/mesh-catalog", default_branch: "main" });
   if (method === "GET" && path === `${repo}/branch_protections`) return json(res, 200, state.rules);
+  if (method === "GET" && path === `${repo}/branches/main`) return json(res, 200, { name: "main", commit: { id: state.trunk } });
+  if (method === "GET" && path === `${repo}/pulls/7/files`) {
+    return json(res, 200, url.searchParams.get("page") === "1" ? [{ filename: "modules/gitea/x.ts", status: "modified" }] : []);
+  }
+  if (method === "POST" && path === `${repo}/statuses/${state.head}`) {
+    // Kept as the forge keeps them: the newest of a context first.
+    state.statuses = [{ ...body, updated_at: new Date().toISOString() }, ...state.statuses.filter((s) => s.context !== body.context)];
+    return json(res, 201, body);
+  }
   if (method === "GET" && path === "/user") return json(res, 200, { login: "mesh-admin" });
   if (method === "GET" && path === "/repos/mesh-admin/scratch/branch_protections") return json(res, 200, []);
   if (method === "GET" && /^\/repos\/[^/]+\/[^/]+\/commits$/.test(path)) {
@@ -102,11 +126,19 @@ after(() => new Promise<void>((r) => server.close(() => r())));
 const { port } = server.address() as { port: number };
 const client = new GiteaClient(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}`, new ConfiguredToken("t"));
 // gitea_commit_status is served from the watcher's bundle, beside the merge check's one writer (novox/hq issue 456).
+const stateDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "gitea-tools-"));
+// The merge check's one writer, as the watcher's bundle holds it: what the merge tool's pending goes through.
+const writer = new GateWriter({ setCommitStatus: (o, r, sha, s) => client.setCommitStatus(o, r, sha, s),
+  gateOf: async () => undefined, gateHistory: async () => [], headChecks: async () => ({}) });
+const throughTheWriter: string[] = [];
+const gates = { rechecked: (o: string, r: string, sha: string, s: any) => {
+  throughTheWriter.push(`${sha.slice(0, 12)} ${s.context} ${s.state}`);
+  return writer.rechecked(o, r, sha, s);
+} };
 const tools = [...getGiteaTools(client), commitStatusTool({
-  setCommitStatus: (o, r, sha, s) => client.setCommitStatus(o, r, sha, s),
-  gates: new GateWriter({ setCommitStatus: (o, r, sha, s) => client.setCommitStatus(o, r, sha, s),
-    gateOf: async () => undefined, gateHistory: async () => [] }),
-})];
+  setCommitStatus: (o, r, sha, s) => client.setCommitStatus(o, r, sha, s), gates: writer,
+}), mergeTool(client, { gates, stateDir, emit: async (type, body) => { state.emitted.push({ type, body }); },
+  now: () => new Date(2026, 9, 12, 15, 1) })];
 const tool = (name: string) => tools.find((t) => t.name === name)!;
 const writes = () => state.sent.map((s) => `${s.method} ${s.path}`);
 
@@ -189,15 +221,15 @@ test("gitea_branch_protection_set only strengthens", async () => {
 test("gitea_merge_pull_request merges only a head whose required statuses all succeeded, and only that head", async () => {
   const merge = () => tool("gitea_merge_pull_request").run({ owner: "novox", repo: "mesh-catalog", number: 7,
     head: REVIEWED });
-  state.statuses = [{ context: "mesh/merge-gate", state: "success" }, { context: "mesh/repo-check", state: "failure" }];
+  state.statuses = [judgedAt(TRUNK)[0], judgedAt(TRUNK, "failure")[1]];
   await assert.rejects(merge(), /not merged: .*mesh\/repo-check \(failure\)/);
-  state.statuses = [{ context: "mesh/merge-gate", state: "success" }];
+  state.statuses = [judgedAt(TRUNK)[0]];
   await assert.rejects(merge(), /mesh\/repo-check \(missing\)/);
   await assert.rejects(tool("gitea_merge_pull_request").run({ owner: "novox", repo: "mesh-catalog", number: 7,
     head: REVIEWED, method: "manually-merged" }), /not a merge method/);
   assert.deepEqual(writes(), []);
   // The operator said yes and the checks passed: the flow that stays.
-  state.statuses = [{ context: "mesh/merge-gate", state: "success" }, { context: "mesh/repo-check", state: "success" }];
+  state.statuses = judgedAt(TRUNK);
   await merge();
   const sent = state.sent.find((s) => s.path.endsWith("/pulls/7/merge"))!;
   assert.equal(sent.body.force_merge, false);
@@ -205,6 +237,75 @@ test("gitea_merge_pull_request merges only a head whose required statuses all su
 });
 
 
+// **The merge tool refuses a verdict whose trunk commit is not the trunk's head, and asks the check itself** (novox/hq
+// ADR 0323 §5, issue 341): node-engine #66 merged at 00:54 on a verdict of 00:49 that judged its head alone, after #65
+// had moved the trunk. Both commits are named; one check is asked, the announcement a new head makes, and not a second
+// while it is on its way; the refusal says how long the last check of the repository took; and once the verdict judges
+// the trunk's head and passes, the merge goes through — asked again, never by itself.
+test("gitea_merge_pull_request refuses a verdict judged against an earlier trunk, and asks the check once", async () => {
+  const merge = () => tool("gitea_merge_pull_request").run({ owner: "novox", repo: "mesh-catalog", number: 7, head: REVIEWED });
+  const { keepTook, tookFile } = await import("../dist/trunk.js");
+  keepTook(tookFile(stateDir), "novox/mesh-catalog", { took: "4m31s", at: "2026-10-12T14:49:00Z" });
+
+  state.trunk = MOVED; // another merge moved the trunk after the verdict
+  await assert.rejects(merge(), (err: Error) => {
+    assert.match(err.message, /is not merged: its verdict was judged against trunk 7a8b9c0d1e2f, and main is now 3c4d5e6f7a8b/);
+    assert.match(err.message, /check of head abc1234def56 merged into trunk 3c4d5e6f7a8b was asked/);
+    assert.match(err.message, /the last check of novox\/mesh-catalog took 4m31s/);
+    assert.match(err.message, /never merges by itself/);
+    return true;
+  });
+  assert.equal(state.merged, false);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 1, "one check asked");
+  assert.equal(state.emitted[0].type, "pull.updated");
+  assert.equal(state.emitted[0].body.head_sha, REVIEWED);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted[0].body.base, "main");
+  assert.deepEqual(state.emitted[0].body.paths, ["modules/gitea/x.ts"]);
+  // The announcement names the trunk's head, for a verdict no build judges (ADR 0323 §3).
+  assert.equal(state.emitted[0].body.base_sha, MOVED);
+  // Its pending went through the merge check's one writer (novox/hq issue 456), not around it.
+  assert.deepEqual(throughTheWriter.splice(0), ["abc1234def56 mesh/merge-gate pending", "abc1234def56 mesh/repo-check pending"]);
+  const gate = state.statuses.find((s) => s.context === "mesh/merge-gate")!;
+  assert.equal(gate.state, "pending");
+  assert.match(gate.description!, /^waiting in the build queue since 15:01: asked by the merge tool against trunk 3c4d5e6f7a8b/);
+  assert.equal(state.statuses.find((s) => s.context === "mesh/repo-check")!.state, "pending");
+
+  // Asked again while that check is on its way: refused, and nothing is asked a second time.
+  await assert.rejects(merge(), /already asked and not yet answered .*not asked again; the last check of novox\/mesh-catalog took 4m31s.*mesh-delivery\.recheck/);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 1, "no second check while one is on its way");
+  state.statuses = [{ ...gate, description: "building on ace since 15:02" }, ...state.statuses.slice(1)];
+  await assert.rejects(merge(), /not asked again/);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 1);
+
+  // A verdict put out of date by the trunk's move is asked too, once.
+  state.statuses = judgedAt(TRUNK).map((s) => ({ ...s, state: "pending",
+    description: "out of date: judged against trunk 7a8b9c0d1e2f, the trunk is now 3c4d5e6f7a8b; judged again on a recheck or when it is merged" }));
+  await assert.rejects(merge(), /was judged against trunk 7a8b9c0d1e2f, and main is now 3c4d5e6f7a8b\. The check .* was asked/);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 2);
+
+  // A verdict that names no trunk commit — a build seat from before the rule — is not taken as the trunk's head.
+  state.statuses = [{ context: "mesh/merge-gate", state: "success", description: "pass: x" },
+    { context: "mesh/repo-check", state: "success", description: "pass: y" }];
+  await assert.rejects(merge(), /names no trunk commit it was judged against, and main is now 3c4d5e6f7a8b/);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 3);
+  assert.equal(state.merged, false);
+
+  // An ask that cannot be announced puts the statuses back to out of date, so the next ask asks again.
+  state.statuses = judgedAt(TRUNK);
+  const failing = mergeTool(client, { gates, stateDir, emit: async () => { throw new Error("the bus is away"); } });
+  await assert.rejects(failing.run({ owner: "novox", repo: "mesh-catalog", number: 7, head: REVIEWED }),
+    /its check could not be asked: the bus is away\. Nothing was merged/);
+  assert.match(state.statuses.find((s) => s.context === "mesh/merge-gate")!.description!, /^out of date: /);
+  await assert.rejects(merge(), /was asked/);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 4, "asked again after the announcement failed");
+
+  // The check judged the merge into the trunk's head and passed: asked again at the reviewed head, it merges.
+  state.statuses = judgedAt(MOVED);
+  const done = (await merge()) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  assert.equal(done.merged, true);
+  assert.equal(state.emitted.length, 4, "a merge asks no check");
+});
+
 // A merge lands only the head that was reviewed (novox/hq issue 381): mesh-controller#197 was reviewed at one head,
 // force-pushed, checked green at the new one, and merged there, because the tool merged whatever the head was.
 test("gitea_merge_pull_request merges only the head it is named, and refuses one that is not the head", async () => {

modules/gitea/test/paging.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import { createServer } from "node:http";
+
+// **Every open pull request's new head is announced, however many are open** (novox/hq issue 579). A pass asked the
+// forge for the 20 most recently updated open pull requests of a repository, so a new head on the 21st or later was
+// not announced and its merge check never started. A pass now pages through the open pull requests updated since its
+// last look — every page on a sweep or the first pass — and stops at the first page that reaches back past the floor.
+
+const HOUR = 3600_000;
+const T0 = Date.parse("2026-10-12T12:00:00Z");
+const sha = (n: number, v: string) => `${v}${String(n).padStart(4, "0")}`.padEnd(40, "0");
+
+/** A forge holding `count` open pull requests of novox/hq, #n updated n hours after T0 (#count the newest), paged and
+ *  sorted the way gitea answers `sort=recentupdate`: by update time, newest first. */
+function forge(count: number, heads: Record<number, string>) {
+  const asked: URLSearchParams[] = [];
+  const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+    const url = new URL(req.url ?? "", "http://x");
+    if (url.pathname !== "/api/v1/repos/novox/hq/pulls") {
+      res.statusCode = 404;
+      return res.end("{}");
+    }
+    asked.push(url.searchParams);
+    const limit = Number(url.searchParams.get("limit") ?? 30);
+    const page = Number(url.searchParams.get("page") ?? 1);
+    const all = Array.from({ length: count }, (_, i) => count - i).map((n) => ({
+      number: n, state: "open", base: { ref: "main" }, head: { ref: `b${n}`, sha: heads[n] ?? sha(n, "a") },
+      updated_at: new Date(T0 + n * HOUR).toISOString(), html_url: `h/${n}`,
+    }));
+    res.end(JSON.stringify(all.slice((page - 1) * limit, page * limit)));
+  });
+  return { server, asked };
+}
+
+async function serve(count: number, heads: Record<number, string>) {
+  const { GiteaClient } = await import("../client.ts");
+  const f = forge(count, heads);
+  await new Promise<void>((r) => f.server.listen(0, r));
+  const client = new GiteaClient(`http://127.0.0.1:${(f.server.address() as any).port}`, "t");
+  return { client, ...f };
+}
+
+test("a new head beyond the newest 20 open pull requests is announced, exactly once", async () => {
+  const { headsToAnnounce } = await import("../pulls.ts");
+  // 25 open, every head announced before; #3 — the 23rd most recently updated — got a new head.
+  const announced: Record<string, string> = {};
+  for (let n = 1; n <= 25; n++) announced[`novox/hq#${n}`] = sha(n, "a");
+  const { client, server, asked } = await serve(25, { 3: sha(3, "b") });
+  try {
+    // The fault: the newest 20 alone do not hold it.
+    const newest = await client.listPullRequests("novox", "hq", { state: "open", sort: "recentupdate", limit: "20" });
+    assert.deepEqual(headsToAnnounce("novox/hq", newest, announced), [], "the newest 20 miss #3's new head");
+    asked.length = 0;
+    const said: string[] = [];
+    for (let pass = 0; pass < 2; pass++) {
+      // The sweep, as index.ts's pollPulls asks: no floor, every page.
+      const open = await client.listOpenPullsSince("novox", "hq", "");
+      for (const p of headsToAnnounce("novox/hq", open, announced)) {
+        said.push(`#${p.number}@${p.head_sha}`);
+        announced[`novox/hq#${p.number}`] = String(p.head_sha);
+      }
+    }
+    assert.deepEqual(said, [`#3@${sha(3, "b")}`], "the new head past the newest 20, announced once over two passes");
+    assert.ok(asked.every((q) => q.get("state") === "open" && q.get("sort") === "recentupdate"), "asked newest first");
+  } finally {
+    server.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test("a pass pages until it reaches back past its floor, and no further", async () => {
+  // 130 open pull requests, #n updated n hours after T0: page 1 holds #130–#81, page 2 #80–#31, page 3 #30–#1.
+  const { client, server, asked } = await serve(130, {});
+  try {
+    // A floor between #60 and #61: page 2 reaches back past it, so page 3 is never asked.
+    const floor = new Date(T0 + 60.5 * HOUR).toISOString();
+    const open = await client.listOpenPullsSince("novox", "hq", floor);
+    assert.deepEqual(asked.map((q) => q.get("page")), ["1", "2"]);
+    assert.equal(open.length, 100);
+    assert.ok(open.some((p) => p.number === 61), "every one updated since the floor is read");
+    // A floor no page reaches past: the last short page ends it.
+    asked.length = 0;
+    assert.equal((await client.listOpenPullsSince("novox", "hq", "")).length, 130);
+    assert.deepEqual(asked.map((q) => q.get("page")), ["1", "2", "3"]);
+    // Every page holds fewer than 50 updated since a recent floor: one page.
+    asked.length = 0;
+    await client.listOpenPullsSince("novox", "hq", new Date(T0 + 129 * HOUR).toISOString());
+    assert.deepEqual(asked.map((q) => q.get("page")), ["1"]);
+  } finally {
+    server.close();
+  }
+});

modules/gitea/test/token.test.ts

@@ -414,7 +414,8 @@ test("the tools register once there is a way to a token, and the first call mint
     [
       "gitea_list_repos", "gitea_create_repo", "gitea_delete_repo",
       "gitea_list_issues", "gitea_get_issue", "gitea_create_issue", "gitea_close_issue", "gitea_add_comment",
-      "gitea_list_pull_requests", "gitea_get_pull_request", "gitea_create_pull_request", "gitea_merge_pull_request",
+      // gitea_merge_pull_request is served from the watcher's bundle, beside the merge check's one writer (ADR 0323).
+      "gitea_list_pull_requests", "gitea_get_pull_request", "gitea_create_pull_request",
       "gitea_close_pull_request",
       "gitea_reopen_pull_request",
       "gitea_update_pull_request",

modules/gitea/test/trunk.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+// **A merge check's verdict holds for the trunk commit it judged** (novox/hq ADR 0323, issue 341): both statuses name
+// the head and the trunk commit; a trunk's move puts the merge check of every open pull request into that trunk — and
+// of none into another — back to pending with the reason, and runs nothing; a verdict that lands judged against a trunk
+// that has moved since is said out of date.
+
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { checkOnItsWay, lateVerdictComment, outOfDateStatuses, outOfDateWords, trunkNamed, verdictAtTrunk, weighTrunks } from "../dist/trunk.js";
+import { GateWriter } from "../dist/gate.js";
+import { statusesFor, commentFor } from "../dist/pulls.js";
+
+const HEAD = "dfb1415aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa";
+const TRUNK = "a2c2c35bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb";
+const MOVED = "d28ca95ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc";
+
+test("both statuses say the head and the trunk commit the verdict judged, first, whatever the summary's length", () => {
+  const c = { owner: "novox", repo: "mesh-host", number: 66, commit: HEAD, verdict: "pass", summary: "x", id: "build-1",
+    trunk: TRUNK.slice(0, 12), beside: { "mesh-catalog": "0123456789ab", "mesh-lab": "ba9876543210" },
+    gate: { verdict: "pass", summary: "4 of 4 compose ".repeat(20) },
+    "repo-check": { verdict: "fail", summary: "its merge-check.sh failed: internal/store/store.go:145:2: Declared redeclared" } };
+  const [gate, repo] = statusesFor(c);
+  for (const s of [gate, repo]) {
+    assert.ok(s.description.startsWith("head dfb1415aaaaa merged into trunk a2c2c35bbbbb — "), s.description);
+    assert.ok(s.description.length <= 140, `${s.description.length} characters`);
+    assert.equal(trunkNamed(s.description), "a2c2c35bbbbb");
+  }
+  assert.equal(gate.state, "success");
+  assert.equal(repo.state, "failure");
+  const comment = commentFor(c)!;
+  assert.match(comment, /Judged: head `dfb1415aaaaa` merged into trunk `a2c2c35bbbbb`; read beside it: mesh-catalog `0123456789ab`, mesh-lab `ba9876543210`/);
+
+  // A verdict of a build seat from before the rule names no trunk, and is said as before.
+  const [old] = statusesFor({ ...c, trunk: undefined, gate: { verdict: "pass", summary: "every machine composes" } });
+  assert.equal(old.description, "pass: every machine composes");
+  assert.equal(trunkNamed(old.description), undefined);
+});
+
+test("a trunk's move puts an open head's merge check out of date, naming both commits, unless a check is on its way", () => {
+  const verdict = (trunk: string, state = "success") => ({
+    "mesh/merge-gate": { state, description: `head ${HEAD.slice(0, 12)} merged into trunk ${trunk.slice(0, 12)} — pass: x` },
+    "mesh/repo-check": { state, description: `head ${HEAD.slice(0, 12)} merged into trunk ${trunk.slice(0, 12)} — pass: y` } });
+  const put = outOfDateStatuses(verdict(TRUNK), MOVED);
+  assert.deepEqual(put.map((s) => [s.context, s.state]), [["mesh/merge-gate", "pending"], ["mesh/repo-check", "pending"]]);
+  assert.equal(put[0].description, "out of date: judged against trunk a2c2c35bbbbb, the trunk is now d28ca95ccccc; " +
+    "judged again on a recheck or when it is merged");
+  assert.equal(put[0].description, outOfDateWords(TRUNK, MOVED));
+  assert.equal(trunkNamed(put[0].description), "a2c2c35bbbbb", "an out-of-date status still names what it judged");
+  // A failure is out of date too: it judged another merge.
+  assert.equal(outOfDateStatuses(verdict(TRUNK, "failure"), MOVED).length, 2);
+  // Already judged against the trunk's head; a check on its way or already out of date; no check yet: left alone.
+  assert.deepEqual(outOfDateStatuses(verdict(MOVED), MOVED), []);
+  assert.deepEqual(outOfDateStatuses({ "mesh/merge-gate": { state: "pending", description: "building on ace since 14:02" } }, MOVED), []);
+  assert.deepEqual(outOfDateStatuses({ "mesh/merge-gate": { state: "pending", description: put[0].description } }, MOVED), []);
+  assert.deepEqual(outOfDateStatuses({}, MOVED), []);
+  // A head with no repository check of its own gets no pending one a verdict would never set.
+  assert.deepEqual(outOfDateStatuses({ "mesh/merge-gate": verdict(TRUNK)["mesh/merge-gate"] }, MOVED).map((s) => s.context),
+    ["mesh/merge-gate"]);
+  // A verdict naming no trunk, of a build seat from before the rule, judged an earlier trunk.
+  assert.match(outOfDateStatuses({ "mesh/merge-gate": { state: "success", description: "pass: x" } }, MOVED)[0].description,
+    /judged against a trunk it does not name, the trunk is now d28ca95ccccc/);
+
+  assert.ok(checkOnItsWay({ state: "pending", description: "waiting in the build queue since 14:00" }));
+  assert.ok(checkOnItsWay({ state: "pending", description: "checking again: a person asked" }));
+  assert.ok(!checkOnItsWay({ state: "pending", description: put[0].description }));
+  assert.deepEqual(verdictAtTrunk(verdict(MOVED), MOVED), { current: true, onItsWay: false, judged: "d28ca95ccccc" });
+  assert.equal(verdictAtTrunk(verdict(TRUNK), MOVED).current, false);
+});
+
+/** A forge holding open pull requests into two branches, each head's statuses, and what was written. */
+function aForge(pulls: { number: number; base: string; head: string }[], heads: Record<string, string>) {
+  const statuses = new Map<string, Record<string, { state: string; description?: string }>>();
+  const writes: string[] = [];
+  const verdict = (trunk: string) => ({
+    "mesh/merge-gate": { state: "success", description: `head x merged into trunk ${trunk.slice(0, 12)} — pass` },
+    "mesh/repo-check": { state: "success", description: `head x merged into trunk ${trunk.slice(0, 12)} — pass` } });
+  for (const p of pulls) statuses.set(p.head, verdict(heads[p.base]));
+  const forge = {
+    listOpenPulls: async () => pulls.map((p) => ({ number: p.number, title: "t", state: "open", merged: false, base: p.base,
+      head: "feat", head_sha: p.head, html_url: `http://forge/pulls/${p.number}` })),
+    branchHead: async (_o: string, _r: string, branch: string) => heads[branch],
+    setCommitStatus: async (_o: string, _r: string, sha: string, s: { context: string; state: string; description: string }) => {
+      writes.push(`${sha} ${s.context} ${s.state}`);
+      statuses.set(sha, { ...statuses.get(sha), [s.context]: { state: s.state, description: s.description } });
+    },
+    gateOf: async () => undefined,
+    gateHistory: async () => [],
+    headChecks: async (_o: string, _r: string, sha: string) => statuses.get(sha) ?? {},
+  };
+  return { forge, writes, statuses };
+}
+
+test("a push to a trunk puts every open pull request into it out of date — twenty-five of them — and none into another", async () => {
+  const heads: Record<string, string> = { main: TRUNK, release: "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" };
+  const pulls = Array.from({ length: 25 }, (_, i) => ({ number: i + 1, base: "main", head: `${String(i).padStart(2, "0")}`.repeat(20) }));
+  pulls.push({ number: 99, base: "release", head: "9".repeat(40) });
+  const { forge, writes, statuses } = aForge(pulls, heads);
+  const gates = new GateWriter(forge);
+  const trunks: Record<string, string> = {};
+
+  // First sight: each trunk is taken as it is, and nothing is put out of date.
+  assert.equal(await weighTrunks(forge, gates, trunks, "novox", "mesh-host"), true);
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, []);
+  assert.equal(trunks["novox/mesh-host:main"], TRUNK);
+  // Nothing moved: nothing read past the trunks, nothing written.
+  assert.equal(await weighTrunks(forge, gates, trunks, "novox", "mesh-host"), false);
+
+  heads.main = MOVED;
+  assert.equal(await weighTrunks(forge, gates, trunks, "novox", "mesh-host"), true);
+  assert.equal(writes.length, 50, "both statuses of each of the 25 pull requests into main");
+  for (const p of pulls.filter((p) => p.base === "main")) {
+    const s = statuses.get(p.head)!;
+    assert.equal(s["mesh/merge-gate"].state, "pending");
+    assert.match(s["mesh/merge-gate"].description!, /judged against trunk a2c2c35bbbbb, the trunk is now d28ca95ccccc/);
+    assert.equal(s["mesh/repo-check"].state, "pending");
+  }
+  assert.equal(statuses.get("9".repeat(40))!["mesh/merge-gate"].state, "success", "a pull request into another branch is left");
+  assert.equal(trunks["novox/mesh-host:main"], MOVED);
+
+  // Weighed again, nothing more: the move was taken once, and the out-of-date statuses are left as they are.
+  writes.length = 0;
+  heads.main = "f".repeat(40);
+  await weighTrunks(forge, gates, trunks, "novox", "mesh-host");
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, [], "a check already out of date is not written again");
+});
+
+test("a trunk that cannot be read is weighed again on the next pass, never recorded half", async () => {
+  const heads: Record<string, string> = { main: TRUNK };
+  const { forge } = aForge([{ number: 1, base: "main", head: "1".repeat(40) }], heads);
+  const trunks: Record<string, string> = { "novox/mesh-host:main": TRUNK };
+  heads.main = MOVED;
+  const failing = { ...forge, setCommitStatus: async () => { throw new Error("the forge is away"); } };
+  assert.equal(await weighTrunks(failing, new GateWriter(failing), trunks, "novox", "mesh-host"), false);
+  assert.equal(trunks["novox/mesh-host:main"], TRUNK, "not recorded: the next pass weighs it again");
+});
+
+test("the trunk's move takes its turn after a verdict in flight, and weighs what the forge holds then", async () => {
+  const heads: Record<string, string> = { main: TRUNK };
+  const { forge, statuses } = aForge([{ number: 1, base: "main", head: HEAD }], heads);
+  const gates = new GateWriter(forge);
+  // A verdict judged against the trunk's new head, in flight when the move is weighed: it lands first, and is left.
+  let release!: () => void;
+  const held = new Promise<void>((r) => (release = r));
+  const verdictLanded = gates.verdict("novox", "mesh-host", HEAD, async () => {
+    await held;
+    statuses.set(HEAD, { "mesh/merge-gate": { state: "success", description: `head x merged into trunk ${MOVED.slice(0, 12)} — pass` } });
+  });
+  const moved = gates.outOfDate("novox", "mesh-host", HEAD, (checks) => outOfDateStatuses(checks, MOVED));
+  release();
+  await verdictLanded;
+  assert.deepEqual(await moved, [], "a verdict judged against the trunk's head is not put out of date");
+  assert.equal(statuses.get(HEAD)!["mesh/merge-gate"].state, "success");
+});
+
+test("a verdict judged against a trunk newer than the pass's first read is not put out of date", async () => {
+  const NEWER = "ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff";
+  const heads: Record<string, string> = { main: TRUNK };
+  const { forge, statuses } = aForge([{ number: 1, base: "main", head: HEAD }], heads);
+  const trunks: Record<string, string> = { "novox/mesh-host:main": TRUNK };
+  // The pass reads main at MOVED; by the head's turn the trunk moved again, and the head's check answered for it.
+  let reads = 0;
+  const moving = { ...forge, branchHead: async () => (reads++ === 0 ? MOVED : NEWER) };
+  statuses.set(HEAD, { "mesh/merge-gate": { state: "success", description: `head x merged into trunk ${NEWER.slice(0, 12)} — pass` } });
+  await weighTrunks(moving, new GateWriter(moving), trunks, "novox", "mesh-host");
+  assert.equal(statuses.get(HEAD)!["mesh/merge-gate"].state, "success", "a fresh verdict was put out of date");
+});
+
+test("a verdict that landed out of date keeps its account on the pull request", () => {
+  const words = outOfDateWords(TRUNK, MOVED);
+  const own = lateVerdictComment({ commit: HEAD, trunk: TRUNK.slice(0, 12), verdict: "fail" }, "**Merge check** at `dfb1415a`\n\nthe report", words);
+  assert.match(own, /the report/);
+  assert.match(own, /\*\*Out of date when it landed\*\*: out of date: judged against trunk a2c2c35bbbbb/);
+  const bare = lateVerdictComment({ commit: HEAD, trunk: TRUNK.slice(0, 12), verdict: "pass" }, null, words);
+  assert.match(bare, /head dfb1415aaaaa merged into trunk a2c2c35bbbbb, pass/);
+});

modules/gitea/tools/index.ts

@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ export function getGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient): ToolDefinition[] {
   return namesChecked(allGiteaTools(gitea));
 }
 
+// gitea_merge_pull_request is served from the watcher's bundle (merge.ts, index.ts), beside the merge check's one
+// writer (novox/hq issue 456, ADR 0323).
 function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient): ToolDefinition[] {
   return [
     // ---- Repositories ----
@@ -263,111 +265,6 @@ function allGiteaTools(gitea: GiteaClient): ToolDefinition[] {
         }),
       }),
     },
-    {
-      name: "gitea_merge_pull_request",
-      description: "Merge a pull request at the head you name — the commit you reviewed — when that is still its head " +
-        "and every status its base branch's protection requires succeeded there (mesh/merge-gate, mesh/repo-check), " +
-        "optionally deleting the source branch afterwards. Refused otherwise, with nothing merged: no tool merges past " +
-        "a check, and none merges a head that moved after it was reviewed.",
-      input: {
-        owner: { type: "string", description: "the repository owner" },
-        repo: { type: "string", description: "the repository name" },
-        number: { type: "number", description: "the PR number" },
-        head: { type: "string", description: "the commit you reviewed, as its sha or at least its first 12 characters: " +
-          "refused unless it is the pull request's head" },
-        method: { type: "string", description: "merge (default) | fast-forward-only | squash | rebase | rebase-merge. " +
-          "Only merge and fast-forward-only can be read back to prove the head you named is what landed" },
-        delete_branch: { type: "boolean", description: "delete the source branch after merge (default true)" },
-      },
-      run: async (args) => {
-        const owner = String(args.owner);
-        const repo = String(args.repo);
-        const number = Number(args.number);
-        const method = args.method ? String(args.method) : "merge";
-        if (!MERGE_METHODS.has(method)) throw new Refused(`${method} is not a merge method: ${[...MERGE_METHODS].join(", ")}`);
-        const deleteBranch = args.delete_branch === undefined ? true : Boolean(args.delete_branch);
-        // **Only a head whose required statuses all succeeded** (novox/hq ADR 0266): read here rather than left
-        // to the forge, whose administrator — the account this tool's token is minted for — may merge past a
-        // rule that lets it. A rule that cannot be read is no rule passed.
-        // **Only the head that was reviewed** (novox/hq issue 381): mesh-controller#197 was reviewed at 065cfa0d,
-        // force-pushed to 3ced96f, checked green there, and merged at 3ced96f, because this tool merged whatever the
-        // head was and nothing told it which head the review had approved. The caller names it; a head that moved
-        // since is refused, and the forge is handed the same head, so a push between this read and the merge is
-        // refused by the forge too.
-        const named = args.head === undefined ? "" : String(args.head).trim().toLowerCase();
-        if (!named) {
-          throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: name the head you reviewed (head), so that only ` +
-            `that commit can land (novox/hq issue 381). Nothing was merged`);
-        }
-        // Twelve characters, not seven: an author who force-pushes can make a commit whose first seven match the
-        // reviewed one in seconds, and the review would then merge it. Twelve cannot be matched that way.
-        if (!REVIEWED_HEAD.test(named)) {
-          throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: head ${named} does not name one commit — give its ` +
-            `sha, or at least its first 12 characters. Nothing was merged`);
-        }
-        const pull = await gitea.getPullRequest(owner, repo, number);
-        if (pull.merged) throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is already merged`);
-        if (!pull.head_sha || !pull.base) throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} names no head commit or base branch`);
-        if (!pull.head_sha.toLowerCase().startsWith(named)) {
-          throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: its head is ${pull.head_sha.slice(0, 12)}, not the ` +
-            `${named} you named. If you reviewed an earlier head, review the one it has now, then name it. Nothing was merged`);
-        }
-        const rule = await gitea.branchProtection(owner, repo, pull.base);
-        // Only into a branch whose protection requires the checks: a pull request whose base was moved to a
-        // branch nothing guards would merge past every check (novox/hq ADR 0266).
-        if (!rule || !rule.enable_status_check || !(rule.status_check_contexts ?? []).filter(Boolean).length) {
-          throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} merges into ${pull.base}, which no protection rule requiring ` +
-            `the checks guards: a tool merges only into such a branch (novox/hq ADR 0266). Nothing was merged`);
-        }
-        const statuses = newestByContext((await gitea.combinedStatus(owner, repo, pull.head_sha)).statuses);
-        const verdict = mergeableUnder(pull.base, rule, statuses);
-        if (verdict.mergeable !== true) {
-          throw new Refused(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} is not merged: ${verdict.says}. A pull request merges once ` +
-            `its checks succeed; no tool merges past them (novox/hq ADR 0266)`);
-        }
-        await gitea.mergePullRequest(owner, repo, number, method, deleteBranch, pull.head_sha);
-        // The merge commit only exists now; answered so the caller can follow what is built from it.
-        // pull.merged is the events entrypoint's to announce (index.ts), once, within its poll.
-        // From here the merge has happened. Nothing below may read as if it had not: a read-back that fails or cannot
-        // be done is said beside merged: true, and only a proven other head is an error — one that says the merge happened.
-        const answer: Record<string, unknown> = { merged: true, number, method, head: pull.head_sha, deleted_branch: deleteBranch };
-        let landed: string | undefined;
-        try {
-          const merged = await gitea.getPullRequest(owner, repo, number);
-          answer.merge_commit_sha = merged.merge_commit_sha;
-          // What landed, read back from the commit the merge made rather than from the forge's record of the pull
-          // request, which is the very thing a race would leave behind. A merge commit's second parent is the head it
-          // joined; a fast-forward lands the head itself. A squash or a rebase makes new commits that name no head.
-          if (!merged.merge_commit_sha) {
-            answer.read_back = "the forge named no merge commit, so what landed cannot be read back";
-          } else if (method === "merge") {
-            const parents = await gitea.commitParents(owner, repo, merged.merge_commit_sha);
-            if (parents.length === 2) landed = parents[1];
-            else answer.read_back = `the merge commit has ${parents.length} parent(s), not two: what landed cannot be read back`;
-          } else if (method === "fast-forward-only") {
-            // That the forge names the head itself as a fast-forward's merge commit is assumed, not seen on this forge:
-            // a different sha is said, not raised as another head having landed.
-            if (merged.merge_commit_sha === pull.head_sha) landed = merged.merge_commit_sha;
-            else answer.read_back = `the forge named ${merged.merge_commit_sha.slice(0, 12)} as this fast-forward's commit, ` +
-              `not the head: that the head landed could not be confirmed`;
-          } else {
-            answer.read_back = `a ${method} makes new commits that name no head: what landed cannot be read back`;
-          }
-        } catch (err) {
-          answer.read_back = `the merge happened, but reading back what landed failed: ${(err as Error).message}`;
-        }
-        // Loud, not a field beside merged: true that a caller reading only that would miss. The merge cannot be taken
-        // back by this tool; what must not happen is that it reads as the merge that was asked for.
-        if (landed !== undefined && landed !== pull.head_sha) {
-          throw new Error(`${owner}/${repo}#${number} WAS merged (${answer.merge_commit_sha}), but the forge merged ` +
-            `${landed.slice(0, 12)}, not the ${pull.head_sha.slice(0, 12)} it was handed and you reviewed: a commit nobody ` +
-            `reviewed has landed. Read it before anything is built from it (novox/hq issue 381)`);
-        }
-        if (landed !== undefined) answer.landed = landed;
-        return answer;
-      },
-    },
-
     {
       name: "gitea_close_pull_request",
       description: "Close a pull request without merging it — one whose work landed elsewhere, or was abandoned.",

modules/gitea/trunk.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+// **A merge check's verdict holds for the trunk commit it judged** (novox/hq ADR 0323, issue 341).
+//
+// The build seat checks a pull request's head merged into its trunk's head at that moment — the verdict's trunk
+// commit — and the verdict names both: "head 1a2b3c4d5e6f merged into trunk 7a8b9c0d1e2f", in both statuses'
+// descriptions. When the trunk moves, every open pull request's verdict into it is out of date:
+//
+//   - **the forge's holder** (index.ts) hears the move on its own — it reads each trunk's head on every pass that
+//     looks at the repository, never through mesh-delivery (ADR 0239 §36) — and sets mesh/merge-gate and
+//     mesh/repo-check on the head of every open pull request into that trunk back to pending, with the reason.
+//     Nothing is run for it: a recheck, a new head, or the merge tool asks the check again;
+//   - **the merge tool** (tools/index.ts) compares the trunk commit the head's verdict names with the trunk's head at
+//     the moment it is asked, merges nothing when they differ, asks the head's check once — the same announcement a
+//     new head makes — and says how long the last check of that repository took. It never merges by itself after.
+//
+// Pure functions and two small files of the module's own state, so this is tested without a forge.
+
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, renameSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { dirname } from "node:path";
+import type { CommitStatus, GiteaClient, GiteaPull, HeadCheck } from "./client.js";
+import { CHECK_CONTEXT, REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT } from "./pulls.js";
+
+/** A commit as a verdict names it: its first twelve characters. */
+export function twelve(sha: string | undefined): string {
+  return String(sha ?? "").slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+}
+
+/** Whether two commits are one, however either is abbreviated (seven characters at least). */
+export function sameCommit(a: string | undefined, b: string | undefined): boolean {
+  const x = String(a ?? "").toLowerCase(), y = String(b ?? "").toLowerCase();
+  if (x.length < 7 || y.length < 7) return false;
+  return x.length <= y.length ? y.startsWith(x) : x.startsWith(y);
+}
+
+/** What a verdict judged, as both statuses' descriptions begin (ADR 0323 §3). */
+export function judgedWords(head: string, trunk: string): string {
+  return `head ${twelve(head)} merged into trunk ${twelve(trunk)}`;
+}
+
+/** The trunk commit a merge check's status names: the one its verdict judged ("merged into trunk …"), or, for a
+ *  verdict put out of date, the one it had judged ("judged against trunk …"). Undefined when it names none, as a
+ *  verdict of a build seat from before ADR 0323 does. */
+export function trunkNamed(description: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const m = /(?:merged into|judged against) trunk ([0-9a-f]{7,64})\b/i.exec(description ?? "");
+  return m ? m[1].toLowerCase() : undefined;
+}
+
+/** A verdict out of date, as its statuses say it (ADR 0323 §4). */
+export function outOfDateWords(judged: string | undefined, now: string): string {
+  const was = judged ? `judged against trunk ${twelve(judged)}` : "judged against a trunk it does not name";
+  return `out of date: ${was}, the trunk is now ${twelve(now)}; judged again on a recheck or when it is merged`;
+}
+
+/** Whether a pending gate says a check of the head is asked and not yet answered: waiting in the build queue,
+ *  building on a machine (gate.ts), or asked again by a recheck (mesh-delivery). Such a check is not asked again. */
+export function checkOnItsWay(gate: HeadCheck | undefined): boolean {
+  if (!gate || gate.state !== "pending") return false;
+  const d = gate.description ?? "";
+  return d.startsWith("waiting in the build queue") || d.startsWith("building on ") || d.startsWith("checking again");
+}
+
+/**
+ * The statuses a trunk's move puts back to pending on one open pull request's head, from what the forge holds on it
+ * now: none when it has no merge check yet, when a check is pending (on its way, or already out of date — its
+ * verdict is weighed against the trunk when it lands), or when its verdict judged the trunk's head. Otherwise the
+ * gate, and the repository's own check when the head has one — a pending repo-check a verdict will not set would
+ * stand for ever (novox/hq issue 305's rule).
+ */
+export function outOfDateStatuses(checks: Record<string, HeadCheck>, trunkHead: string): CommitStatus[] {
+  const gate = checks[CHECK_CONTEXT];
+  if (!gate || gate.state === "pending") return [];
+  const judged = trunkNamed(gate.description);
+  if (judged && sameCommit(judged, trunkHead)) return [];
+  const description = outOfDateWords(judged, trunkHead);
+  const out: CommitStatus[] = [{ state: "pending", context: CHECK_CONTEXT, description }];
+  if (checks[REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT]) out.push({ state: "pending", context: REPO_CHECK_CONTEXT, description });
+  return out;
+}
+
+/** Where the merge tool stands with a head's verdict and the trunk's head (ADR 0323 §5). */
+export interface VerdictAtTrunk {
+  /** The verdict judged the trunk's head: the required statuses decide, as before. */
+  current: boolean;
+  /** A check of the head is asked and not yet answered: nothing is asked again. */
+  onItsWay: boolean;
+  /** The trunk commit the verdict names, when it names one. */
+  judged?: string;
+}
+
+export function verdictAtTrunk(checks: Record<string, HeadCheck>, trunkHead: string): VerdictAtTrunk {
+  const gate = checks[CHECK_CONTEXT];
+  const judged = trunkNamed(gate?.description);
+  if (checkOnItsWay(gate)) return { current: false, onItsWay: true, judged };
+  return { current: !!gate && gate.state !== "pending" && !!judged && sameCommit(judged, trunkHead), onItsWay: false, judged };
+}
+
+/** The pending words the merge tool's ask of a check is said with: in the build queue from now, as an announced head's. */
+export function askedWords(at: Date, trunkHead: string): string {
+  const two = (n: number) => String(n).padStart(2, "0");
+  return `waiting in the build queue since ${two(at.getHours())}:${two(at.getMinutes())}: asked by the merge tool ` +
+    `against trunk ${twelve(trunkHead)}`;
+}
+
+/** The comment a verdict that landed out of date leaves (ADR 0323 §7: kept and shown): its own account when it has
+ *  one, else what it judged and said, and that it is out of date. */
+export function lateVerdictComment(c: { commit: string; trunk?: string; verdict: string }, account: string | null,
+  outOfDate: string): string {
+  const own = account ?? `**Merge check** at \`${c.commit.slice(0, 8)}\`: ${judgedWords(c.commit, c.trunk ?? "")}, ${c.verdict}`;
+  return `${own}\n\n**Out of date when it landed**: ${outOfDate}`;
+}
+
+// --- a trunk's move, weighed --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/** What weighing a trunk's move reads of the forge. */
+export interface TrunkForge {
+  listOpenPulls(owner: string, repo: string): Promise<GiteaPull[]>;
+  branchHead(owner: string, repo: string, branch: string): Promise<string>;
+}
+
+/** What it writes with: the merge check's one writer (gate.ts), which decides in the head's own turn. */
+export interface OutOfDateWriter {
+  outOfDate(owner: string, repo: string, sha: string,
+    decide: (checks: Record<string, HeadCheck>) => CommitStatus[] | Promise<CommitStatus[]>, target?: string): Promise<CommitStatus[]>;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Every trunk of one repository that an open pull request merges into, read; for one that moved since it was last read
+ * (`trunks`, by `owner/repo:branch`, which this keeps current), the merge check of every open pull request into it put
+ * out of date (ADR 0323 §4). A trunk first seen is recorded as it is and nothing is put out of date. Bounded however
+ * many are open: one listing of the open pull requests (paged), one read of each trunk, then per open pull request into
+ * a trunk that moved one read and at most two writes, one at a time. A trunk that could not be weighed whole is not
+ * recorded, so the next pass weighs it again. Answers whether the record changed.
+ */
+export async function weighTrunks(forge: TrunkForge, gates: OutOfDateWriter, trunks: Record<string, string>, owner: string,
+  name: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  let changed = false;
+  try {
+    const open = (await forge.listOpenPulls(owner, name)).filter((p) => p.state === "open" && !!p.head_sha && !!p.base);
+    for (const base of new Set(open.map((p) => String(p.base)))) {
+      const key = `${owner}/${name}:${base}`.toLowerCase();
+      const head = await forge.branchHead(owner, name, base);
+      const before = trunks[key];
+      if (before && sameCommit(before, head)) continue;
+      if (before) {
+        let put = 0;
+        for (const pull of open.filter((p) => p.base === base)) {
+          // The trunk is read again in the head's own turn: a verdict judged against a head newer than the pass's first
+          // read — the trunk moved again meanwhile, and a check answered — is not put out of date.
+          const written = await gates.outOfDate(owner, name, String(pull.head_sha),
+            async (checks) => outOfDateStatuses(checks, await forge.branchHead(owner, name, base)), pull.html_url || undefined);
+          if (written.length) put++;
+        }
+        console.log(`[gitea] ${owner}/${name}'s ${base} moved from ${twelve(before)} to ${twelve(head)}: ${put} open pull ` +
+          `request(s) into it put out of date, nothing run (novox/hq ADR 0323)`);
+      }
+      trunks[key] = head;
+      changed = true;
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`[gitea] ${owner}/${name}: whether a trunk moved could not be weighed, so it is weighed again on the next ` +
+      `pass — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+  }
+  return changed;
+}
+
+// --- how long the last check of a repository took -------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/** How long one repository's last check took, and when it was heard: kept by the watcher, read by the merge tool. */
+export interface Took {
+  took: string;
+  at: string;
+  head?: string;
+}
+
+/** The file the watcher keeps each repository's last check's duration in, beside its other records. */
+export function tookFile(stateDir: string | undefined): string | null {
+  return stateDir ? `${stateDir.replace(/\/+$/, "")}/checks-took.json` : null;
+}
+
+function readTookAll(file: string | null): Record<string, Took> {
+  if (!file || !existsSync(file)) return {};
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(readFileSync(file, "utf8")) as Record<string, Took>;
+  } catch {
+    return {};
+  }
+}
+
+/** Keep how long a repository's check took. A record that cannot be written is said, never fatal to the verdict. */
+export function keepTook(file: string | null, repository: string, took: Took): void {
+  if (!file || !took.took) return;
+  try {
+    const all = readTookAll(file);
+    all[repository.toLowerCase()] = took;
+    mkdirSync(dirname(file), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(file + ".tmp", JSON.stringify(all));
+    renameSync(file + ".tmp", file);
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`[gitea] how long ${repository}'s check took could not be kept — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+  }
+}
+
+/** How long a repository's last check took, in words for the merge tool's refusal. */
+export function tookWords(file: string | null, repository: string): string {
+  const t = readTookAll(file)[repository.toLowerCase()];
+  if (!t) return `how long a check of ${repository} takes is not known yet: no verdict of it was heard since this was kept`;
+  return `the last check of ${repository} took ${t.took} (heard ${t.at})`;
+}
+
+// --- the announcement of a head, shared by the watcher and the merge tool ---------------------------------------
+
+/** `pull.updated` for one open pull request's head: what the controller asks the build seat to check (novox/hq to-be
+ *  45 §9). The merge tool's ask is this same announcement (ADR 0323 §5). */
+export async function announcementOf(client: GiteaClient, owner: string, name: string, cloneURL: string | undefined,
+  pull: GiteaPull): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+  const files = await client.listPullFiles(owner, name, pull.number);
+  const head = String(pull.head_sha);
+  // What the controller maps the change onto the mesh's module graph with (novox/hq ADR 0237 as amended): which
+  // changed directories hold a module at the head — the merge's rule (issue 278) — and whether the head holds the
+  // repository's own merge-check.sh. Not said when it could not be read; the controller then reads the change as
+  // touching everything built from the repository.
+  let moduleDirs: string[] | null = null;
+  let mergeCheck: boolean | null = null;
+  try {
+    if (!files.truncated) moduleDirs = await client.moduleDirsAt(owner, name, head, files.paths);
+    mergeCheck = await client.holdsFile(owner, name, head, "merge-check.sh");
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`[gitea] ${owner}/${name}#${pull.number}: what the head holds could not be read — ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+  }
+  // The base branch's head as the head is announced: the trunk commit a verdict no build judges is said against
+  // (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3). Not said when it cannot be read; that verdict then names none.
+  const baseSHA = pull.base ? await client.branchHead(owner, name, String(pull.base)).catch(() => undefined) : undefined;
+  return {
+    owner,
+    repo: name,
+    number: pull.number,
+    ...(baseSHA ? { base_sha: baseSHA } : {}),
+    title: pull.title,
+    body: pull.body,
+    base: pull.base,
+    head: pull.head,
+    head_sha: pull.head_sha,
+    clone_url: cloneURL,
+    html_url: pull.html_url,
+    paths: files.paths,
+    paths_truncated: files.truncated,
+    removed: files.removed,
+    ...(moduleDirs ? { module_dirs: moduleDirs, module_dirs_said: true } : {}),
+    ...(mergeCheck !== null ? { merge_check: mergeCheck, merge_check_said: true } : {}),
+  };
+}

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/checks.go

@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ type ChecksAnswer struct {
 	Statuses   []CheckStatus `json:"statuses"`
 	// Verdict is the merge check's verdict whole, as this owner heard it for this commit.
 	Verdict *Verdict `json:"verdict,omitempty"`
+	// Judged is what the verdict judged: the head merged into the trunk commit (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3); OutOfDate
+	// why it no longer counts, when its trunk has moved since.
+	Judged    string `json:"judged,omitempty"`
+	OutOfDate string `json:"out_of_date,omitempty"`
 	// Merge is whether the branch's protection lets the commit merge; Mergeable nil when it is not known.
 	Merge ForgeMerge `json:"merge"`
 	// Forge is why the forge could not be read, when it could not.
@@ -118,6 +122,7 @@ func (h *Holder) Checks(repository string, number int, commit string) (*ChecksAn
 		}
 		if d.Check != nil && sameCommit(d.Commit, a.Commit) {
 			a.Verdict = d.Check
+			a.Judged, a.OutOfDate = d.Check.Judged(), d.outOfDate()
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -273,6 +278,12 @@ func (a *ChecksAnswer) says() string {
 	default:
 		merge = "NOT mergeable — " + merge
 	}
+	if a.Judged != "" {
+		what += " (" + a.Judged + ")"
+	}
+	if a.OutOfDate != "" {
+		merge += "; its verdict is " + a.OutOfDate
+	}
 	return what + ": " + statuses + "; " + merge
 }
 

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/covered_test.go

@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ func TestAMemberHeldForItsComposedCheckIsLiftedWhenItPasses(t *testing.T) {
 				State: Ready, Since: t0, Created: t0.Add(-time.Hour), Plan: planMoving(b, "b"), Check: &Verdict{Gate: "pass"}}
 			g := &Group{ID: "feat/k", Members: []string{aID, bID}, Order: []string{aID, bID}, Closed: true,
 				OrderOf: map[string]string{aID: aHead, bID: bHead},
-				Check:   &GroupCheck{Asked: "check-1", At: t0, Commits: c.commits}}
+				Check:   &GroupCheck{Asked: "check-old", At: t0, Commits: c.commits}}
 			for _, d := range []*Delivery{da, db} {
 				_ = store.PutDelivery(d)
 			}
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ func TestAMemberHeldForItsComposedCheckIsLiftedWhenItPasses(t *testing.T) {
 			if s := w.state(aID); s != Held {
 				t.Fatalf("before its composed verdict it is %s", s)
 			}
-			w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/k", ID: "check-1", Verdict: c.verdict, Summary: "composed: " + c.verdict})
+			w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/k", ID: "check-old", Verdict: c.verdict, Summary: "composed: " + c.verdict})
 			w.settleAll()
 			if s := w.state(aID); s != c.want {
 				t.Fatalf("its composed check %s, and it is %s (%s), want %s", c.name, s, w.delivery(aID).HeldWhy, c.want)
@@ -471,6 +471,10 @@ func TestAMemberHeldForItsComposedCheckIsLiftedWhenItPasses(t *testing.T) {
 			if c.want == Delivering && !containsString(ctl.delivers, "plan-a") {
 				t.Fatalf("lifted, its walk was not let go: %v", ctl.delivers)
 			}
+			// A composed check of other heads is asked again for these heads (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6).
+			if c.name == "passed for other heads" && !containsString(ctl.checks, "feat/k:"+aID+","+bID) {
+				t.Fatalf("the composed check was not asked again for the heads that merged: %v", ctl.checks)
+			}
 		})
 	}
 }

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/holder.go

@@ -280,6 +280,8 @@ type PullEvent struct {
 	ModuleDirs     []string          `json:"module_dirs,omitempty"`
 	ModuleDirsSaid bool              `json:"module_dirs_said,omitempty"`
 	HeadChecks     map[string]string `json:"head_checks,omitempty"`
+	// BaseSHA is the base branch's head when the head was announced (novox/hq ADR 0323).
+	BaseSHA string `json:"base_sha,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (p PullEvent) repository() string { return strings.ToLower(p.Owner + "/" + p.Repo) }
@@ -297,10 +299,22 @@ func (h *Holder) PullUpdated(p PullEvent) {
 	h.mu.Lock()
 	defer h.mu.Unlock()
 	id := IDOf(p.repository(), p.HeadSHA)
-	if d := h.deliveries[id]; d != nil {
-		return // announced again: nothing new
-	}
 	now := h.Now()
+	if d := h.deliveries[id]; d != nil {
+		// Announced again: nothing new — but for a delivery whose verdict is out of date, the announcement is its
+		// check asked again against the trunk's head (the merge tool's ask, novox/hq ADR 0323 §5), and its bound
+		// runs from now (§7). The base head it was announced with is kept, for a check this owner asks after it.
+		if p.BaseSHA != "" && d.BaseSHA != p.BaseSHA {
+			d.BaseSHA = p.BaseSHA
+			h.keep(d)
+		}
+		if d.State == Proposed && d.outOfDate() != "" && d.AskedAgain == nil {
+			d.AskedAgain = &now
+			h.keep(d)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	replaced := ""
 	for _, old := range h.deliveries {
 		if old.Repository == p.repository() && old.Number == p.Number && !sameCommit(old.Commit, p.HeadSHA) &&
 			!old.State.Final() && old.MergedAs == "" {
@@ -308,13 +322,14 @@ func (h *Holder) PullUpdated(p PullEvent) {
 			h.settleAndKeep(old)
 			if old.Group != "" {
 				h.leaveGroup(old)
+				replaced = old.ID
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	d := &Delivery{ID: id, Repository: p.repository(), Commit: p.HeadSHA, Number: p.Number, Title: p.Title,
 		Base: p.Base, Branch: p.Head, HTMLURL: p.HTMLURL, CloneURL: p.CloneURL, Paths: p.Paths,
 		PathsTruncated: p.PathsTruncated, Removed: p.Removed, ModuleDirs: p.ModuleDirs, ModuleDirsSaid: p.ModuleDirsSaid,
-		After: AfterIn(p.Body), Created: now}
+		After: AfterIn(p.Body), Created: now, BaseSHA: p.BaseSHA}
 	t, err := Apply(d, EvAnnounced, false, Facts{Now: now, Why: fmt.Sprintf("%s#%d's head announced", d.Repository, d.Number)})
 	if err != nil {
 		h.refuse(err)
@@ -328,7 +343,45 @@ func (h *Holder) PullUpdated(p PullEvent) {
 		ts = append(ts, settle(d, Facts{Now: now})...)
 	}
 	h.moved(d, ts)
-	h.joinGroup(d)
+	if !h.takePlaceOf(replaced, d) {
+		h.joinGroup(d)
+	}
+}
+
+// takePlaceOf puts a member's new head — a rebase, a push — in its group in the place of the head it superseded,
+// when the group is closed: a member of it already reached the trunk, and a closed group takes no new member. The
+// new head has its own check, and the group's composed check runs again for the new heads rather than holding the
+// group for a person (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6, issue 406). An open group takes it as joinGroup does.
+func (h *Holder) takePlaceOf(old string, d *Delivery) bool {
+	if old == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, g := range h.groups {
+		_, ordered := g.OrderOf[old]
+		if !g.Closed || !ordered && !containsString(g.Order, old) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if ordered {
+			delete(g.OrderOf, old)
+			g.OrderOf[d.ID] = d.Commit
+		}
+		if !containsString(g.Members, d.ID) {
+			g.Members = append(g.Members, d.ID)
+			sort.Strings(g.Members)
+		}
+		for i, id := range g.Order {
+			if id == old {
+				g.Order[i] = d.ID
+			}
+		}
+		d.Group = g.ID
+		g.Updated = h.Now()
+		h.keep(d)
+		h.keepGroup(g)
+		h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] group %s: %s takes the place of %s, which it superseded", g.ID, d.ID, old)
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
 }
 
 // decidedOnHead is the verdict the forge's statuses on a head hold, when the gate decided one: passed, warned
@@ -469,6 +522,47 @@ func (h *Holder) PullMerged(p PullEvent) {
 	}
 	h.moved(d, ts)
 	h.closeGroupOf(d)
+	h.trunkMoved(d, p.Base, p.MergeCommit, now)
+}
+
+// trunkMoved takes a merge into a trunk as that trunk's move (novox/hq ADR 0323 §7): every other open delivery into
+// it keeps the trunk's new head, and a ready one whose verdict names the commit before goes back to proposed. A
+// group's composed check goes out of date when the merge is not one of its members and a member still open merges
+// into that trunk (§6); the group then reads checking. Nothing is asked: a recheck or the merge tool judges again.
+func (h *Holder) trunkMoved(merged *Delivery, base, commit string, now time.Time) {
+	if base == "" || commit == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, o := range h.deliveries {
+		if o == merged || o.Repository != merged.Repository || o.Base != base || o.MergedAs != "" || o.State.Final() ||
+			sameCommit(o.TrunkNow, commit) {
+			continue
+		}
+		// A check asked again against the trunk before this move judged that trunk: it is out of date too.
+		o.TrunkNow, o.AskedAgain = commit, nil
+		h.settleAndKeep(o)
+	}
+	for _, g := range h.groups {
+		if g.ID == merged.Group || g.Check == nil || g.Check.Verdict == "" || g.Check.OutOfDate != "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		for _, m := range h.membersOf(g) {
+			if m.Repository != merged.Repository || m.Base != base || m.MergedAs != "" || m.State.Final() {
+				continue
+			}
+			judged := g.Check.Trunks[m.ID]
+			if judged == "" {
+				judged = "?"
+			}
+			g.Check.OutOfDate = fmt.Sprintf("composed check out of date: %s was judged against trunk %s, the trunk is now %s "+
+				"(%s merged)", m.ID, shortOf(judged, 12), shortOf(commit, 12), merged.ID)
+			g.Check.OutOfDateAt = now
+			g.Updated = now
+			h.keepGroup(g)
+			h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] group %s: %s", g.ID, g.Check.OutOfDate)
+			break
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 // closeGroupOf closes a delivery's group once it reached the trunk: a delivering group takes no new member.
@@ -540,7 +634,13 @@ type CheckedEvent struct {
 		Owner  string `json:"owner"`
 		Repo   string `json:"repo"`
 		Commit string `json:"commit"`
+		Trunk  string `json:"trunk,omitempty"`
 	} `json:"members,omitempty"`
+	// Trunk is the trunk commit the head was merged into and judged as, Beside the other repositories' commits the
+	// check read, and Took how long it ran (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3).
+	Trunk  string            `json:"trunk,omitempty"`
+	Beside map[string]string `json:"beside,omitempty"`
+	Took   string            `json:"took,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Checked takes a verdict: a head's own, or a group's composed check.
@@ -555,6 +655,18 @@ func (h *Holder) Checked(c CheckedEvent) {
 			return
 		}
 		g.Check.Verdict, g.Check.Summary = c.Verdict, c.Summary
+		// Each member's head and the trunk commit it was merged into (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6).
+		for _, m := range c.Members {
+			for id := range g.Check.Commits {
+				if d := h.deliveries[id]; d != nil && strings.EqualFold(d.Repository, m.Owner+"/"+m.Repo) &&
+					sameCommit(d.Commit, m.Commit) && m.Trunk != "" {
+					if g.Check.Trunks == nil {
+						g.Check.Trunks = map[string]string{}
+					}
+					g.Check.Trunks[id] = m.Trunk
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		g.Updated = now
 		h.keepGroup(g)
 		h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] group %s composed: %s — %s", g.ID, c.Verdict, c.Summary)
@@ -575,11 +687,23 @@ func (h *Holder) Checked(c CheckedEvent) {
 		}
 		h.moved(d, []Transition{t})
 	}
+	if d.State == Rejected && c.Trunk != "" && d.Check != nil && !sameCommit(d.Check.Trunk, c.Trunk) {
+		// Judged again against another trunk commit — the merge tool's ask of a verdict out of date, or a check asked
+		// elsewhere (novox/hq ADR 0323 §5, §7): taken as the recheck it is.
+		t, err := Apply(d, EvRecheck, true, Facts{Now: now, By: byOwner, Why: fmt.Sprintf("judged again against trunk %s "+
+			"(it was rejected against trunk %s)", shortOf(c.Trunk, 12), shortOf(d.Check.Trunk, 12))})
+		if err != nil {
+			h.refuse(err)
+			return
+		}
+		h.moved(d, []Transition{t})
+	}
 	if d.State != Proposed {
 		h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s is %s: a verdict for it now is history (%s)", d.ID, d.State, c.Verdict)
 		return
 	}
-	v := &Verdict{ID: c.ID, On: c.On, At: now, Gate: c.Verdict, Summary: c.Summary, Report: c.Report}
+	v := &Verdict{ID: c.ID, On: c.On, At: now, Gate: c.Verdict, Summary: c.Summary, Report: c.Report,
+		Head: shortOf(c.Commit, 12), Trunk: c.Trunk, Beside: c.Beside, Took: c.Took}
 	if c.Gate != nil {
 		v.Gate, v.Summary = c.Gate.Verdict, c.Gate.Summary
 		v.Modules, v.Dependents = c.Gate.Modules, c.Gate.Dependents
@@ -590,10 +714,14 @@ func (h *Holder) Checked(c CheckedEvent) {
 	if v.Gate == "" {
 		v.Gate = "error"
 	}
-	d.Check = v
+	d.Check, d.AskedAgain = v, nil
 	if c.Plan != nil {
 		d.Plan = c.Plan
 	}
+	if why := d.outOfDate(); why != "" {
+		// Kept and shown, and it does not count: the delivery stays proposed (ADR 0323 §7).
+		h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] %s: its verdict %s is %s", d.ID, c.ID, why)
+	}
 	h.settleAndKeep(d)
 }
 
@@ -1442,14 +1570,19 @@ func (h *Holder) planGroup(g *Group, members []*Delivery, now time.Time) []func(
 		})
 		return asks
 	}
-	// The composed check, once every member is ready and the order holds.
+	// The composed check, once every member is ready and the order holds. Asked again for new heads, even once the
+	// group is closed: a member rebased or pushed is a new head, and the group waits for its composed check rather
+	// than being held for a person (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6, issue 406). One out of date is asked again once a member
+	// was judged again after it went out of date: a recheck, or the merge tool's ask.
 	allReady := true
 	for _, d := range members {
-		if d.State != Ready {
+		// In a closed group a member on the trunk counts — merged and on its way, or already delivered (reached).
+		if d.State != Ready && !(g.Closed && d.MergedAs != "" && (!d.State.Final() || d.State.Reached())) {
 			allReady = false
 		}
 	}
-	if allReady && len(g.Cycle) == 0 && !g.Closed && (g.Check == nil || !sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commits)) {
+	again := g.Check != nil && (!sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commits) || g.Check.OutOfDate != "" && rejudgedSince(members, g.Check.OutOfDateAt))
+	if allReady && len(g.Cycle) == 0 && (g.Check == nil && !g.Closed || again) {
 		ms := h.inOrder(g, members)
 		id := g.ID
 		asks = append(asks, func() {
@@ -1571,7 +1704,7 @@ func (h *Holder) turnsOf(g *Group, members []*Delivery, waits map[string]carryWa
 	}
 	// Composed for these very heads: a verdict on another set of heads is no verdict on these.
 	composed := g.Check != nil && (g.Check.Verdict == "pass" || g.Check.Verdict == "warning") &&
-		sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commitsOf(members))
+		sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commitsOf(members)) && g.Check.OutOfDate == ""
 	// A member's turn registered, the members after it that the same walk carries take theirs too: one walk is let
 	// go once, for all of them (ADR 0276 decision 5). A member on another walk, or not at its turn, waits.
 	var asks []func()
@@ -1657,9 +1790,11 @@ func (h *Holder) turnsOf(g *Group, members []*Delivery, waits map[string]carryWa
 			}
 			return asks
 		case d.State == Published:
-			// Asked and not answered is not "did not pass": it waits, published, for the answer (issue 316).
-			if !composed && d.HeldWhy == "" && g.Check != nil && g.Check.Verdict == "" &&
-				sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commitsOf(members)) {
+			// Asked and not answered is not "did not pass": it waits, published, for the answer (issue 316). Nor is a
+			// composed check of other heads — a member rebased or pushed — or one out of date: it runs again for these
+			// heads, and the member waits for it (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6, issue 406).
+			if !composed && d.HeldWhy == "" && g.Check != nil && (g.Check.Verdict == "" || g.Check.OutOfDate != "" ||
+				!sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commitsOf(members))) {
 				return asks
 			}
 			if !composed && d.HeldWhy == "" {
@@ -2180,12 +2315,23 @@ func GroupState(g *Group, members []*Delivery) (string, string) {
 		return "delivered", "every member is delivered"
 	case g.Closed && n > 0 && ended == n:
 		return "stopped", supersededWhy + strings.Join(uncovered, ", ")
+	case g.Closed && g.Check != nil && (g.Check.OutOfDate != "" || g.Check.Verdict == "" ||
+		!sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commitsOf(members))):
+		// A member rebased or pushed once the group was delivering, or its composed check out of date: it is composed
+		// again for these heads, and the group is checking until then, never held (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6, issue 406).
+		if g.Check.OutOfDate != "" {
+			return "checking", g.Check.OutOfDate
+		}
+		return "checking", "composed again for its members' new heads"
 	case g.Closed:
 		return "delivering", fmt.Sprintf("%d of %d delivered", reached, n)
 	case len(g.Cycle) > 0:
 		return "rejected", cycleSaid(g)
 	case count[Rejected] > 0:
 		return "rejected", "a member's own check failed"
+	case g.Check != nil && g.Check.OutOfDate != "":
+		// Out of date counts as outstanding (ADR 0239 §18, novox/hq ADR 0323 §7): checking, saying why.
+		return "checking", g.Check.OutOfDate
 	case g.Check != nil && g.Check.Verdict != "" && g.Check.Verdict != "pass" && g.Check.Verdict != "warning":
 		return "rejected", "composed together: " + g.Check.Summary
 	case count[Ready] == n && g.Check != nil && sameMembers(g.Check.Commits, commitsOf(members)) &&
@@ -2251,3 +2397,13 @@ func cycleSaid(g *Group) string {
 	}
 	return why
 }
+
+// rejudgedSince is whether a member was judged again after a moment: a verdict of its own heard since.
+func rejudgedSince(members []*Delivery, at time.Time) bool {
+	for _, d := range members {
+		if d.Check != nil && d.Check.At.After(at) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/issue341_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,463 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// **A verdict holds for the trunk commit it judged** (novox/hq ADR 0323, issue 341). The check judges the head
+// merged into a named trunk commit; when another merge moves that trunk, a ready delivery goes back to proposed,
+// a rejected one stays rejected, and nothing is asked. A verdict for an old trunk is kept and shown and does not
+// count, so the table reaches a fixed point. A group's composed check goes out of date on a merge that is not one of
+// its members, and runs again for new heads instead of holding the group.
+
+const (
+	trunk0 = "a2c2c35000000000000000000000000000000000"
+	merge1 = "d28ca95000000000000000000000000000000000"
+)
+
+// judged is a verdict of a head merged into a trunk commit.
+func judged(repo string, number int, sha, gate, trunk string) CheckedEvent {
+	c := verdict(repo, number, sha, gate)
+	c.Trunk = shortOf(trunk, 12)
+	c.ID = "check-of-" + sha + "-at-" + shortOf(trunk, 8)
+	c.Took = "4m12s"
+	c.Beside = map[string]string{"mesh-catalog": "0123456789ab"}
+	plan := *c.Plan
+	plan.Head, plan.Trunk = sha, c.Trunk
+	c.Plan = &plan
+	return c
+}
+
+func TestATrunkMoveSendsAReadyDeliveryBackToProposed(t *testing.T) {
+	const host = "novox/mesh-host"
+	const h64, h66, h67 = "6464646464646464", "dfb1415dfb1415df", "6767676767676767"
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	for _, p := range []PullEvent{pr(host, 64, h64, "a"), pr(host, 66, h66, "b"), pr(host, 67, h67, "c")} {
+		w.h.PullUpdated(p)
+	}
+	w.h.Checked(judged(host, 64, h64, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(host, 66, h66, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(host, 67, h67, "fail", trunk0))
+	id66, id67 := IDOf(host, h66), IDOf(host, h67)
+	if s := w.state(id66); s != Ready {
+		t.Fatalf("#66 checked green against the trunk is %s", s)
+	}
+	asked := len(w.ctl.checks)
+
+	// #64 merges: the trunk moves to its merge commit.
+	w.h.PullMerged(merged(host, 64, h64, merge1))
+	w.settleAll()
+	d := w.delivery(id66)
+	if d.State != Proposed {
+		t.Fatalf("#66's verdict names trunk %s, the trunk is now %s, and it is %s", trunk0[:12], merge1[:12], d.State)
+	}
+	last := d.Transitions[len(d.Transitions)-1]
+	if last.Event != EvTrunkMoved || !strings.Contains(last.Why, trunk0[:12]) || !strings.Contains(last.Why, merge1[:12]) {
+		t.Fatalf("its transition was %s, %q: not trunk moved with both commits", last.Event, last.Why)
+	}
+	if d.Check == nil || d.Check.Trunk != trunk0[:12] {
+		t.Fatalf("its out-of-date verdict was not kept to be shown: %+v", d.Check)
+	}
+	if s := w.state(id67); s != Rejected {
+		t.Fatalf("a rejected delivery went to %s on the trunk's move", s)
+	}
+	if len(w.ctl.checks) != asked {
+		t.Fatalf("the trunk's move asked a check: %v", w.ctl.checks[asked:])
+	}
+
+	// Out of date and not asked: no bound, so stalled does not list it, however long it waits.
+	w.later(5 * time.Hour)
+	w.settleAll()
+	for _, l := range w.h.Stalled() {
+		if l.ID == id66 {
+			t.Fatalf("stalled lists a proposed delivery whose check is out of date and not asked: %+v", l)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(w.ctl.checks) != asked {
+		t.Fatalf("an out-of-date check was asked by this owner: %v", w.ctl.checks[asked:])
+	}
+
+	// A late verdict for the old trunk is kept, does not count, and moves nothing: the table's fixed point.
+	before := len(w.delivery(id66).Transitions)
+	late := judged(host, 66, h66, "pass", trunk0)
+	late.ID = "check-late"
+	w.h.Checked(late)
+	w.settleAll()
+	d = w.delivery(id66)
+	if d.State != Proposed || len(d.Transitions) != before || d.Check == nil || d.Check.ID != "check-late" {
+		t.Fatalf("a late verdict for an old trunk left it %s after %d transition(s), verdict %+v", d.State,
+			len(d.Transitions)-before, d.Check)
+	}
+	if ts := settle(d, Facts{Now: w.now}); len(ts) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("the table took %d more transition(s) on a verdict that does not count", len(ts))
+	}
+
+	// The check asked again judges the head merged into the trunk's head: it counts.
+	w.h.Checked(judged(host, 66, h66, "pass", merge1))
+	w.settleAll()
+	if s := w.state(id66); s != Ready {
+		t.Fatalf("a verdict judged against the trunk's head left it %s", s)
+	}
+}
+
+// A rejected delivery judged again against another trunk — the merge tool's ask — is taken as its recheck.
+func TestARejectedDeliveryJudgedAgainstANewTrunkIsRecheckedByTheVerdict(t *testing.T) {
+	const repo = "novox/mesh-lab"
+	const head = "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b"
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(repo, 9, head, "x"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(repo, 9, head, "fail", trunk0))
+	id := IDOf(repo, head)
+	if s := w.state(id); s != Rejected {
+		t.Fatalf("it is %s", s)
+	}
+	w.h.PullMerged(merged(repo, 8, "8888888888888888", merge1))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(repo, 9, head, "pass", merge1))
+	w.settleAll()
+	d := w.delivery(id)
+	if d.State != Ready || d.Check.Trunk != merge1[:12] {
+		t.Fatalf("judged green against the trunk's head it is %s with %+v", d.State, d.Check)
+	}
+}
+
+// **A verdict names the trunk commit it judged** in `checks` and `show`, and the kept plan records it (ADR 0323 §3).
+func TestChecksAndShowNameTheHeadAndTheTrunkCommit(t *testing.T) {
+	const repo = "novox/mesh-lab"
+	const head = "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b"
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(repo, 9, head, "x"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(repo, 9, head, "pass", trunk0))
+	id := IDOf(repo, head)
+
+	a, err := w.h.Checks(repo, 0, head)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	want := "head " + head[:12] + " merged into trunk " + trunk0[:12]
+	if a.Judged != want || a.Verdict == nil || a.Verdict.Head != head[:12] || a.Verdict.Trunk != trunk0[:12] {
+		t.Fatalf("checks says %q, verdict %+v; want %q", a.Judged, a.Verdict, want)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(a.Says, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("checks' words do not say what was judged: %s", a.Says)
+	}
+	if a.Verdict.Beside["mesh-catalog"] != "0123456789ab" || a.Verdict.Took != "4m12s" {
+		t.Fatalf("checks does not name the other repositories' commits or how long it took: %+v", a.Verdict)
+	}
+	shown, err := w.h.Show(id)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	d := shown.(map[string]any)["delivery"].(*Delivery)
+	if d.Check.Head != head[:12] || d.Check.Trunk != trunk0[:12] {
+		t.Fatalf("show gives the verdict %+v", d.Check)
+	}
+	if d.Plan == nil || d.Plan.Trunk != trunk0[:12] || d.Plan.Head != head {
+		t.Fatalf("the kept delivery plan records %+v", d.Plan)
+	}
+
+	w.h.PullMerged(merged(repo, 8, "8888888888888888", merge1))
+	if a, _ = w.h.Checks(repo, 0, head); !strings.Contains(a.OutOfDate, merge1[:12]) {
+		t.Fatalf("checks does not say the verdict is out of date: %+v", a)
+	}
+}
+
+// **A delivery group's composed check follows the same rule** (ADR 0323 §6, §7): a merge that is not one of its
+// members into a member's trunk puts it out of date and the group reads checking; its own members merging in its
+// order do not; and it runs again once a member is judged again.
+func TestAGroupsComposedCheckGoesOutOfDateOnAMergeThatIsNotItsMember(t *testing.T) {
+	const ctl, cat = "novox/mesh-controller", "novox/mesh-catalog"
+	const hc, hk = "c1c1c1c1c1c1c1c1", "k1k1k1k1k1k1k1k1"
+	idc, idk := IDOf(ctl, hc), IDOf(cat, hk)
+	start := func(t *testing.T) *world {
+		w := newWorld(t)
+		w.h.PullUpdated(pr(ctl, 1, hc, "feat/g"))
+		w.h.PullUpdated(pr(cat, 2, hk, "feat/g"))
+		w.h.Checked(judged(ctl, 1, hc, "pass", trunk0))
+		w.h.Checked(judged(cat, 2, hk, "pass", trunk0))
+		w.settleAll()
+		g := w.h.groups["feat/g"]
+		if g == nil || g.Check == nil {
+			t.Fatalf("no composed check was asked: %+v", g)
+		}
+		w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/g", ID: g.Check.Asked, Verdict: "pass", Summary: "composed",
+			Members: []struct {
+				Owner  string `json:"owner"`
+				Repo   string `json:"repo"`
+				Commit string `json:"commit"`
+				Trunk  string `json:"trunk,omitempty"`
+			}{{Owner: "novox", Repo: "mesh-controller", Commit: hc, Trunk: trunk0[:12]},
+				{Owner: "novox", Repo: "mesh-catalog", Commit: hk, Trunk: trunk0[:12]}}})
+		w.settleAll()
+		if state, _ := GroupState(g, w.h.membersOf(g)); state != "ready" {
+			t.Fatalf("the group composed green is %s", state)
+		}
+		if g.Check.Trunks[idc] != trunk0[:12] {
+			t.Fatalf("the composed check names its members' trunks %v", g.Check.Trunks)
+		}
+		return w
+	}
+
+	t.Run("a merge that is not a member", func(t *testing.T) {
+		w := start(t)
+		asked := len(w.ctl.checks)
+		w.h.PullMerged(merged(ctl, 5, "5555555555555555", merge1))
+		w.settleAll()
+		g := w.h.groups["feat/g"]
+		state, why := GroupState(g, w.h.membersOf(g))
+		if state != "checking" || g.Check.OutOfDate == "" {
+			t.Fatalf("the group is %s (%s) after a merge that is not its member moved a member's trunk", state, why)
+		}
+		for _, head := range []string{ctl + "@" + hc, cat + "@" + hk} {
+			s := w.forge.statuses[head+" "+ctxGroup]
+			if !strings.HasPrefix(s, "pending ") || !strings.Contains(s, "out of date") {
+				t.Fatalf("mesh/delivery-group on %s says %q, not pending with the reason", head, s)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(w.ctl.checks) != asked {
+			t.Fatalf("the trunk's move asked a check: %v", w.ctl.checks[asked:])
+		}
+		// The controller's member judged again against the trunk's head: the composed check runs again.
+		w.later(time.Minute)
+		w.h.Checked(judged(ctl, 1, hc, "pass", merge1))
+		w.settleAll()
+		if len(w.ctl.checks) == asked || !strings.HasPrefix(w.ctl.checks[len(w.ctl.checks)-1], "feat/g:") {
+			t.Fatalf("the composed check was not asked again once a member was judged again: %v", w.ctl.checks)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("its own member merging", func(t *testing.T) {
+		w := start(t)
+		mc := merged(ctl, 1, hc, merge1)
+		mc.Head = "feat/g"
+		w.h.PullMerged(mc)
+		w.settleAll()
+		g := w.h.groups["feat/g"]
+		if g.Check.OutOfDate != "" {
+			t.Fatalf("the group's own member merging put its composed check out of date: %s", g.Check.OutOfDate)
+		}
+		if s := w.state(idk); s != Ready {
+			t.Fatalf("the catalogue's member, in another repository, is %s", s)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+// **After a member is rebased or pushed, the composed check runs again for the new heads** and the group reads
+// checking, not held (ADR 0323 §6, issue 406's second symptom): its first member merged, closing the group, and then
+// its second was rebased just before its own merge.
+func TestARebasedMemberIsComposedAgainNotHeld(t *testing.T) {
+	const ctl, cat = "novox/mesh-controller", "novox/mesh-catalog"
+	const hc, hk, hc2 = "c1c1c1c1c1c1c1c1", "k1k1k1k1k1k1k1k1", "c2c2c2c2c2c2c2c2"
+	idc, idk, idc2 := IDOf(ctl, hc), IDOf(cat, hk), IDOf(ctl, hc2)
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(ctl, 1, hc, "feat/g"))
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(cat, 2, hk, "feat/g"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(ctl, 1, hc, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(cat, 2, hk, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.settleAll()
+	g := w.h.groups["feat/g"]
+	if len(g.Order) != 2 || g.Order[0] != idk {
+		t.Fatalf("the group's order is %v: the catalogue's member first is what this replays", g.Order)
+	}
+	w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/g", ID: g.Check.Asked, Verdict: "pass", Summary: "composed"})
+	w.settleAll()
+
+	// The catalogue's member merges first: the group is closed.
+	mk := merged(cat, 2, hk, merge1)
+	mk.Head = "feat/g"
+	w.h.PullMerged(mk)
+	w.h.WalkMoved(w.ctl.put(aWalk("plan-cat", cat, merge1, true)))
+	w.settleAll()
+	if !g.Closed {
+		t.Fatal("the group is not closed once a member merged")
+	}
+
+	// The controller's member is rebased just before its merge: a new head, with its own check.
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(ctl, 1, hc2, "feat/g"))
+	w.settleAll()
+	if d := w.delivery(idc2); d.Group != "feat/g" {
+		t.Fatalf("the rebased head did not take its place in its closed group: %q", d.Group)
+	}
+	if containsString(g.Members, idc) || !containsString(g.Members, idc2) || len(g.Order) != 2 || g.Order[1] != idc2 {
+		t.Fatalf("the group's members are %v in the order %v", g.Members, g.Order)
+	}
+	if state, why := GroupState(g, w.h.membersOf(g)); state != "checking" {
+		t.Fatalf("the group reads %s (%s), not checking", state, why)
+	}
+	w.h.Checked(judged(ctl, 1, hc2, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.settleAll()
+	asked := w.ctl.checks[len(w.ctl.checks)-1]
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(asked, "feat/g:") || !strings.Contains(asked, idc2) || !strings.Contains(asked, idk) {
+		t.Fatalf("the composed check was not asked again for the new heads: %v", w.ctl.checks)
+	}
+	if state, why := GroupState(g, w.h.membersOf(g)); state != "checking" {
+		t.Fatalf("the group reads %s (%s), not checking", state, why)
+	}
+	for _, id := range []string{idk, idc2} {
+		if d := w.delivery(id); d.State == Held {
+			t.Fatalf("%s is held for a person: %s", id, d.HeldWhy)
+		}
+	}
+	// Its verdict for the new heads: the rebased member merges and takes its turn.
+	w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/g", ID: g.Check.Asked, Verdict: "pass", Summary: "composed again"})
+	mc := merged(ctl, 1, hc2, "e0e0e0e0e0e0e0e0")
+	mc.Head = "feat/g"
+	w.h.PullMerged(mc)
+	w.h.WalkMoved(w.ctl.put(aWalk("plan-ctl", ctl, "e0e0e0e0e0e0e0e0", true)))
+	w.settleAll()
+	if d := w.delivery(idc2); d.State == Held {
+		t.Fatalf("the rebased member, composed green for the new heads, is held: %s", d.HeldWhy)
+	}
+}
+
+// A head whose merge check the forge's holder put out of date is not a check asked and not answered: `stalled` does
+// not list it, however long it waits — rejected, or with no delivery here — until its check is asked (ADR 0323 §7).
+func TestAnOutOfDateCheckOnTheForgeIsNotSaidUnanswered(t *testing.T) {
+	const repo = "novox/mesh-lab"
+	const head = "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b9c0d"
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(repo, 9, head, "x"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(repo, 9, head, "fail", trunk0))
+	words := outOfDateWords(trunk0, merge1)
+	pending := func(description, at string) map[string]HeadCheck {
+		return map[string]HeadCheck{ctxGate: {State: "pending", Description: description, UpdatedAt: at},
+			ctxRepo: {State: "pending", Description: description, UpdatedAt: at}}
+	}
+	w.forge.open = []OpenPull{{Owner: "novox", Repo: "mesh-lab", Number: 9, Base: "main", HeadSHA: head,
+		Required: []string{ctxGate, ctxRepo}, Statuses: []string{ctxGate, ctxRepo}, Checks: pending(words, "2026-10-06T12:01:00Z")}}
+	w.h.SeeOpenPulls()
+	w.later(3 * time.Hour)
+	w.h.SeeOpenPulls()
+	for _, l := range w.h.Stalled() {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(l.ID, repo) {
+			t.Fatalf("an out-of-date check nobody asked is said stalled: %+v", l)
+		}
+	}
+	// Asked by the merge tool: pending anew, and its bound runs from then.
+	w.forge.open[0].Checks = pending("waiting in the build queue since 15:01: asked by the merge tool", "2026-10-06T15:01:00Z")
+	w.h.SeeOpenPulls()
+	w.later(2 * time.Hour)
+	w.h.SeeOpenPulls()
+	said := false
+	for _, l := range w.h.Stalled() {
+		said = said || l.State == Unanswered
+	}
+	if !said {
+		t.Fatal("a check the merge tool asked and that never answered is not said")
+	}
+}
+
+// The merge tool's ask announces an out-of-date head again: its one-hour bound runs from then, and a check that never
+// answers is said stalled (ADR 0323 §7).
+func TestAnOutOfDateDeliveryAskedAgainIsBoundFromTheAsk(t *testing.T) {
+	const repo = "novox/mesh-lab"
+	const head = "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b"
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(repo, 9, head, "x"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(repo, 9, head, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.h.PullMerged(merged(repo, 8, "8888888888888888", merge1))
+	id := IDOf(repo, head)
+	w.later(3 * time.Hour)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(repo, 9, head, "x")) // the merge tool asked its check
+	w.later(30 * time.Minute)
+	for _, l := range w.h.Stalled() {
+		if l.ID == id {
+			t.Fatalf("listed half an hour after its check was asked again: %+v", l)
+		}
+	}
+	w.later(time.Hour)
+	said := false
+	for _, l := range w.h.Stalled() {
+		if l.ID == id {
+			said = true
+			if !strings.Contains(l.Says, "asked again") || !strings.Contains(l.H2, "operator") {
+				t.Fatalf("its stalled line says %+v", l)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if !said {
+		t.Fatal("a check asked again that never answered is not said")
+	}
+	// Its verdict judged against the trunk's head: ready, and nothing bounds it as proposed.
+	w.h.Checked(judged(repo, 9, head, "pass", merge1))
+	if d := w.delivery(id); d.State != Ready || d.AskedAgain != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("judged again it is %s, asked again %v", d.State, d.AskedAgain)
+	}
+}
+
+// The same, with the first member already delivered when the second is rebased: a delivered member counts for the
+// composed check of the new heads, which is asked, and the rebased member is never held (review of ADR 0323 §6).
+func TestARebasedMemberAfterAnotherWasDeliveredIsComposedAgain(t *testing.T) {
+	const ctl, cat = "novox/mesh-controller", "novox/mesh-catalog"
+	const hc, hk, hc2 = "c1c1c1c1c1c1c1c1", "k1k1k1k1k1k1k1k1", "c2c2c2c2c2c2c2c2"
+	idk, idc2 := IDOf(cat, hk), IDOf(ctl, hc2)
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(ctl, 1, hc, "feat/g"))
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(cat, 2, hk, "feat/g"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(ctl, 1, hc, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(cat, 2, hk, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.settleAll()
+	g := w.h.groups["feat/g"]
+	w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/g", ID: g.Check.Asked, Verdict: "pass", Summary: "composed"})
+	w.settleAll()
+
+	// The catalogue's member merges and its walk is done: delivered.
+	mk := merged(cat, 2, hk, merge1)
+	mk.Head = "feat/g"
+	w.h.PullMerged(mk)
+	walk := w.ctl.put(aWalk("plan-cat", cat, merge1, true))
+	w.h.WalkMoved(walk)
+	w.settleAll()
+	walk = w.ctl.walk("plan-cat")
+	walk.State = walkDone
+	w.h.WalkMoved(w.ctl.put(walk))
+	w.settleAll()
+	if s := w.state(idk); s != Delivered {
+		t.Fatalf("the catalogue's member is %s, not delivered", s)
+	}
+
+	// The controller's member is rebased, and judged.
+	w.h.PullUpdated(pr(ctl, 1, hc2, "feat/g"))
+	w.h.Checked(judged(ctl, 1, hc2, "pass", trunk0))
+	w.settleAll()
+	asked := w.ctl.checks[len(w.ctl.checks)-1]
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(asked, "feat/g:") || !strings.Contains(asked, idc2) {
+		t.Fatalf("the composed check was not asked again for the new heads: %v", w.ctl.checks)
+	}
+	if state, why := GroupState(g, w.h.membersOf(g)); state != "checking" {
+		t.Fatalf("the group reads %s (%s), not checking", state, why)
+	}
+	w.h.Checked(CheckedEvent{Group: "feat/g", ID: g.Check.Asked, Verdict: "pass", Summary: "composed again"})
+	mc := merged(ctl, 1, hc2, "e0e0e0e0e0e0e0e0")
+	mc.Head = "feat/g"
+	w.h.PullMerged(mc)
+	w.h.WalkMoved(w.ctl.put(aWalk("plan-ctl", ctl, "e0e0e0e0e0e0e0e0", true)))
+	w.settleAll()
+	if d := w.delivery(idc2); d.State == Held {
+		t.Fatalf("the rebased member is held: %s", d.HeldWhy)
+	}
+}
+
+// A check this owner asks — a recheck — sends the base head the forge last announced the head with, so the
+// controller's verdict for a head no build judges names its trunk commit (ADR 0323 §3, review of mesh-controller#271).
+func TestARecheckSendsTheAnnouncedBaseHead(t *testing.T) {
+	const repo = "novox/mesh-tools-go"
+	const head = "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b"
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	p := pr(repo, 3, head, "x")
+	p.BaseSHA = trunk0
+	w.h.PullUpdated(p)
+	id := IDOf(repo, head)
+	if m := MemberOf(w.delivery(id)); m.BaseSHA != trunk0 {
+		t.Fatalf("the member sends base head %q", m.BaseSHA)
+	}
+	p.BaseSHA = merge1 // announced again, by the merge tool
+	w.h.PullUpdated(p)
+	if m := MemberOf(w.delivery(id)); m.BaseSHA != merge1 {
+		t.Fatalf("announced again, the member sends base head %q", m.BaseSHA)
+	}
+	if raw := string(mustJSON(MemberOf(w.delivery(id)))); !strings.Contains(raw, `"base_sha":"`+merge1+`"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("the member as the controller reads it: %s", raw)
+	}
+}

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/model.go

@@ -49,6 +49,17 @@ type Delivery struct {
 	// CheckAsk is this owner's own ask of its check, when the forge's announcement did not bring one: a head
 	// adopted while it already waited, or one whose announcement the controller missed.
 	CheckAsk *CheckAsk `json:"check_ask,omitempty"`
+	// TrunkNow is its trunk's head as this owner last heard it move while it was open: the commit the last merge
+	// into its trunk landed as (novox/hq ADR 0323 §7). A verdict that names another trunk commit is out of date.
+	// Empty until a merge into its trunk is heard after it was made.
+	TrunkNow string `json:"trunk_now,omitempty"`
+	// BaseSHA is the base branch's head the forge last announced its head with (ADR 0323): sent with a check this
+	// owner asks, for a verdict no build judges to name its trunk commit.
+	BaseSHA string `json:"base_sha,omitempty"`
+	// AskedAgain is when its head was announced again while its verdict was out of date — the merge tool's ask of
+	// its check against the trunk's head (ADR 0323 §5) — and no verdict has come since: its one-hour bound runs from
+	// then. Nil while nothing is asked, and cleared by a verdict or another move of its trunk.
+	AskedAgain *time.Time `json:"asked_again,omitempty"`
 
 	// The facts the table's guards read. NewerHead is the head that superseded it; ClosedUnmerged the pull
 	// request closed; MergedAs the commit it landed on the trunk as; HeldWhy what holds it for a person.
@@ -128,6 +139,38 @@ type Verdict struct {
 	Repo       string    `json:"repo,omitempty"`
 	RepoSaid   string    `json:"repo_summary,omitempty"`
 	Report     string    `json:"report,omitempty"`
+	// Head and Trunk are what it judged (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3): the head merged into the trunk commit, twelve
+	// characters each. Trunk is empty for a verdict of a build seat that judged the head alone. Beside are the
+	// commits of the other repositories the check read, by directory; Took how long it ran.
+	Head   string            `json:"head,omitempty"`
+	Trunk  string            `json:"trunk,omitempty"`
+	Beside map[string]string `json:"beside,omitempty"`
+	Took   string            `json:"took,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// Judged is what a verdict judged, in words: "head 1a2b3c4d5e6f merged into trunk 7a8b9c0d1e2f" (ADR 0323 §3);
+// empty for a verdict that names no trunk commit.
+func (v *Verdict) Judged() string {
+	if v == nil || v.Trunk == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("head %s merged into trunk %s", shortOf(v.Head, 12), shortOf(v.Trunk, 12))
+}
+
+// outOfDate is why a delivery's verdict no longer counts: it names a trunk commit that is not its trunk's head
+// as this owner heard it (novox/hq ADR 0323 §7). Empty when it counts — or names no trunk commit, as a verdict
+// of a build seat from before the rule does, which counts as it did.
+func (d *Delivery) outOfDate() string {
+	if d.Check == nil || d.Check.Trunk == "" || d.TrunkNow == "" || sameCommit(d.Check.Trunk, d.TrunkNow) {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return outOfDateWords(d.Check.Trunk, d.TrunkNow)
+}
+
+// outOfDateWords is a verdict out of date, as the forge's holder says it on the pull request (ADR 0323 §4).
+func outOfDateWords(judged, now string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("out of date: judged against trunk %s, the trunk is now %s; judged again on a recheck or when "+
+		"it is merged", shortOf(judged, 12), shortOf(now, 12))
 }
 
 // CheckAsk is a head's own check, asked of the controller by this owner (or re-asked by healer H2).
@@ -168,6 +211,8 @@ type DeliveryPlan struct {
 	// Class is the class of the slowest-budgeted module it moves, as the planner says it: core, leaf, or none when
 	// it moves no module (novox/hq ADR 0313 §2). Empty in a plan from a controller that did not say it.
 	Class string `json:"class,omitempty"`
+	// Trunk is the trunk commit the head was merged into when its verdict judged it (novox/hq ADR 0323 §3).
+	Trunk string `json:"trunk,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // receiving are the machines the plan sends a module to, in the plan's order; none when the plan names no
@@ -755,6 +800,13 @@ type GroupCheck struct {
 	Commits map[string]string `json:"commits"`
 	Verdict string            `json:"verdict,omitempty"`
 	Summary string            `json:"summary,omitempty"`
+	// Trunks are the trunk commit each member's head was merged into, by member id (novox/hq ADR 0323 §6).
+	Trunks map[string]string `json:"trunks,omitempty"`
+	// OutOfDate is why its verdict no longer counts: a merge that is not one of the group's members moved a
+	// member's trunk, at OutOfDateAt. It counts as outstanding (ADR 0239 §18), and runs again once a member is
+	// judged again after it.
+	OutOfDate   string    `json:"out_of_date,omitempty"`
+	OutOfDateAt time.Time `json:"out_of_date_at"`
 }
 
 // Commits is each member's commit, by id.

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/ports.go

@@ -31,13 +31,16 @@ type Member struct {
 	ModuleDirsSaid bool     `json:"module_dirs_said,omitempty"`
 	CloneURL       string   `json:"clone_url,omitempty"`
 	After          []string `json:"after,omitempty"`
+	// BaseSHA is the base branch's head the forge last announced the head with (novox/hq ADR 0323): the trunk commit
+	// the controller's verdict names when no build judges the head.
+	BaseSHA string `json:"base_sha,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // MemberOf is a delivery as a member.
 func MemberOf(d *Delivery) Member {
 	return Member{ID: d.ID, Repository: d.Repository, Base: d.Base, Head: d.Commit, Number: d.Number, Paths: d.Paths,
 		PathsTruncated: d.PathsTruncated, Removed: d.Removed, ModuleDirs: d.ModuleDirs, ModuleDirsSaid: d.ModuleDirsSaid,
-		CloneURL: d.CloneURL, After: d.After}
+		CloneURL: d.CloneURL, After: d.After, BaseSHA: d.BaseSHA}
 }
 
 // Order is a group's order as the controller works it out: each pair with the rules it won over by

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/table.go

@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ const (
 	EvCovered         Event = "covered"          // a later merge into the same trunk delivered every module it moves
 	EvLifted          Event = "lifted"           // what held it for a person is no longer so: its group's composed check passed, or a walk now answers its merge
 	EvRewalk          Event = "rewalk"           // the walk that carried a later commit for it failed, or was stopped for another merge (ADR 0299): it waits for the walk that walks it again
+	EvTrunkMoved      Event = "trunk moved"      // another merge moved its trunk, and its verdict names the trunk commit before (novox/hq ADR 0323)
 )
 
 // Facts are what a guard reads beyond the delivery itself: the moment, and who asks, for an act.
@@ -167,9 +168,17 @@ var Table = []Row{
 		Holds: func(d *Delivery, f Facts) error {
 			return unless(d.MergedAs != "" && (d.Walk != nil || d.MovesNothing()), "not on the trunk yet")
 		}},
+	// **A verdict counts only for the trunk's head** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §7): one naming a trunk commit that is no
+	// longer the trunk's head is kept and shown, and does not count, so the delivery stays proposed and the rows
+	// cannot loop with `trunk moved`; a recheck or the merge tool's ask judges it again.
 	{From: []State{Proposed}, Event: EvChecked, To: Checked,
-		Guard: "the verdict names this commit",
-		Holds: func(d *Delivery, f Facts) error { return unless(d.Check != nil, "no verdict") }},
+		Guard: "a verdict names this commit and the trunk's head as its trunk commit",
+		Holds: func(d *Delivery, f Facts) error {
+			if d.Check == nil {
+				return errors.New("no verdict")
+			}
+			return unless(d.outOfDate() == "", "its verdict is "+d.outOfDate())
+		}},
 	{From: []State{Checked}, Event: EvAccepted, To: Ready,
 		Guard: "the gate passed or warned, and the repository's own check did not fail",
 		Holds: func(d *Delivery, f Facts) error { return unless(d.Check.Passes(), "the verdict does not pass") }},
@@ -199,6 +208,14 @@ var Table = []Row{
 		Says: func(d *Delivery) string {
 			return "covered: a later merge that contains it was delivered: " + d.CoveredBy
 		}},
+	// **A ready delivery whose verdict went out of date goes back to proposed** (novox/hq ADR 0323 §7): another
+	// merge moved its trunk. A rejected one stays rejected, its status on the forge saying the verdict is out of date.
+	{From: []State{Ready}, Event: EvTrunkMoved, To: Proposed,
+		Guard: "its verdict names a trunk commit that is not its trunk's head",
+		Holds: func(d *Delivery, f Facts) error {
+			return unless(d.MergedAs == "" && d.outOfDate() != "", "not merged, and its verdict is not out of date")
+		},
+		Says: func(d *Delivery) string { return d.outOfDate() }},
 	{From: []State{Proposed, Checked, Rejected}, Event: EvMergedUnchecked, To: Held,
 		Guard: "merged without a passing check — a verdict known with it is taken first: only a person decides that it goes on",
 		Holds: func(d *Delivery, f Facts) error { return unless(d.MergedAs != "", "not merged") }},
@@ -543,6 +560,9 @@ const checkGrace = 15 * time.Minute
 // runs from its start plus the grace before it is asked: an ask that cannot be made is still listed.
 func boundSince(d *Delivery) time.Time {
 	if d.State == Proposed {
+		if d.AskedAgain != nil && d.outOfDate() != "" {
+			return *d.AskedAgain
+		}
 		if d.CheckAsk != nil {
 			return d.CheckAsk.At
 		}
@@ -562,6 +582,17 @@ var rewalkBound = Bound{For: unwalked, Says: "the walk that carried a later comm
 
 // boundOf is a delivery's bound: its state's, or none for a delivery held because no walk answers it.
 func boundOf(d *Delivery) (Bound, bool) {
+	if d.State == Proposed && d.outOfDate() != "" {
+		// Its check is out of date and not asked: nothing is running for it, and it costs nothing (ADR 0323 §7).
+		// Its bound starts when its check is asked: a recheck puts the verdict away; the merge tool's ask announces the
+		// head again, and its bound runs from then.
+		if d.AskedAgain == nil {
+			return Bound{}, false
+		}
+		b := Bounds[Proposed]
+		b.H2, b.Says = nil, "its verdict is "+d.outOfDate()+"; its check was asked again and not answered: the operator's"
+		return b, true
+	}
 	if d.State == Held && d.Unwalked && d.Walk == nil {
 		return heldUnwalked, true
 	}

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/table_test.go

@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ func aDeliveryFor(r Row) (*Delivery, Facts) {
 	case EvRewalk:
 		d.MergedAs, d.AnsweredBy = "aaaa1111", "bbbb2222"
 		d.Walk = &WalkSeen{ID: "plan-2", State: walkFailed}
+	case EvTrunkMoved:
+		d.Check = &Verdict{Gate: "pass", Head: "c0ffee000000", Trunk: "d28ca95bbbbb"}
+		d.TrunkNow = "690966dccccccccc"
 	case EvLifted:
 		d.MergedAs, d.Lifted = "aaaa1111", "its group's composed check passed"
 		d.Walk = &WalkSeen{ID: "plan-1", State: walkBuilding, Waits: true, WaitedFor: "mesh-delivery"}
@@ -129,7 +132,7 @@ func TestEveryRowOfTheTableIsTakenWhenItsGuardHoldsAndRefusedWhenNot(t *testing.
 func TestEveryPairTheTableDoesNotHoldIsRefusedByName(t *testing.T) {
 	events := []Event{EvAnnounced, EvAppeared, EvAdopted, EvChecked, EvAccepted, EvRefused, EvRecheck, EvReask, EvNewHead,
 		EvClosed, EvMerged, EvMergedUnchecked, EvGo, EvHold, EvRelease, EvDone, EvFailed, EvSuperseded, EvStop,
-		EvHistory, EvRetire, EvCovered, EvLifted, EvRewalk}
+		EvHistory, EvRetire, EvCovered, EvLifted, EvRewalk, EvTrunkMoved}
 	for _, from := range append([]State{None}, AllStates...) {
 		for _, ev := range events {
 			for _, act := range []bool{false, true} {

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/unchecked.go

@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ const Unannounced State = "unannounced"
 // own for the proposed state's bound: its check was asked and not answered.
 const Unanswered State = "unanswered"
 
+// outOfDatePrefix begins the words the forge's holder puts a merge check back to pending with when its trunk moved
+// (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4): the gitea module's outOfDateWords.
+const outOfDatePrefix = "out of date:"
+
 // UncheckedAfter is how long a head may go without a merge check before it is said: the announcer passes every half
 // minute and the check is asked at once, so ten minutes is a fault, never a queue.
 const UncheckedAfter = 10 * time.Minute
@@ -119,6 +123,9 @@ func (p OpenPull) unanswered() (waiting []string, pending map[string]string, sta
 			// since nothing here says whether the one it has answered.
 		case !ok || got.State == "":
 			waiting = append(waiting, c+" never set")
+		case got.State == "pending" && strings.HasPrefix(got.Description, outOfDatePrefix):
+			// Out of date because its trunk moved, and not asked (novox/hq ADR 0323 §4, §7): nothing runs for it and
+			// it costs nothing, so it is not a check asked and not answered. Asked again, it is pending anew.
 		case got.State == "pending":
 			pending[c] = utcOf(got.UpdatedAt)
 			waiting = append(waiting, c+" pending since "+orUnknown(pending[c]))

modules/mesh-delivery/cmd/mesh-delivery/verbs.go

@@ -229,6 +229,8 @@ func (h *Holder) Stalled() []StalledLine {
 		b, _ := boundOf(d)
 		h2 := "none: the state is the operator's"
 		switch {
+		case d.State == Proposed && d.AskedAgain != nil && d.outOfDate() != "":
+			h2 = "none: its verdict is out of date and its check, asked again, has not answered — the operator's"
 		case d.State == Proposed && d.CheckAsk == nil:
 			h2 = "none: its check could not be asked yet — the controller does not answer delivery-check"
 		case d.State == Proposed && d.CheckAsk.Reasked > 0:

modules/mesh-reads/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# mesh-reads
+
+A node's files and accounts, read through the mesh (novox/hq ADR 0310, extending ADR 0268 §5; hq to-be 41
+WP8; issue 418). It holds the node seat `node-reads` on every node, the control-node included, so reading a
+file, searching one, listing a directory, the owner and mode of each component of a path and looking up an
+account or a group never go through the login shell's `execute`, and an approval is asked for an act, never
+for a read.
+
+## Who it reads as
+
+The account `mesh-reads`, which this module makes on every node (`runs-as`, ADR 0259 §8): no login shell, a
+home of its own under `/var/lib`, and no group beside its own. The tool runner serves it in a runtime of its
+own, on its own bus credential, never the machine's runtime, which runs as the operator's account. So the
+node's file modes bound what it sees: a file only the operator, root or a module's own account may read is
+refused by its mode, and the answer says so. It refuses every read when it finds itself running as root.
+
+## What it refuses by name
+
+Before any read, whatever the file modes would allow (ADR 0310 §5):
+
+- **The places the mesh keeps a secret on this node**, which the controller composes from the manifests
+  and gives it as `MESH_SECRET_PLACES`: the directory of every module's own secret (its bus credential
+  among them), every credential file and grant directory, the vault's directories, and where the
+  operator-sealed secrets are kept. Without that list the module does not start.
+- **The known credential files of a machine's programs** (`refuse.go`): an account's `.ssh`, `.gnupg`,
+  `.aws`, `.kube`; the agent's `.credentials.json`, `.netrc`, `.pgpass`, `.git-credentials`; private key
+  names (`id_ed25519`, `*.key`, `ssh_host_*_key`); `/etc/shadow`; `/etc/ssl/private`, `/etc/wireguard`
+  and the network manager's connections.
+
+- **Histories and profiles**: shell and program histories (`.zsh_history`, `.bash_history`, `.psql_history`,
+  `.viminfo` …), browser and mail profiles (`.mozilla`, `.config/google-chrome`, `.config/chromium` …), a
+  process's `environ`, `mem`, `fd`, `map_files`, `root` and `cwd` under `/proc`, and `/etc/rancher` and
+  `/etc/kubernetes/admin.conf`.
+
+**What was opened is judged, not the name.** The type is checked before the open, so a device or a fifo is
+never opened; the file is opened non-blocking (in a search without following a link), checked again on its
+descriptor, and the path the kernel gives for that descriptor is judged by name like any path asked. A link
+flipped between the check and the open therefore reaches nothing a name refuses, and a deleted file is refused.
+**Limit:** a hard link to a secret file under another name is not seen by the name rule; the file's own mode,
+and the kernel's protected hard links, are what bound it. `stat` and `readlink` say a secret place's owner
+and mode, and mark it, because those are not its content; `list`, `read` and `search` refuse it.
+
+## The content rule
+
+Every answer passes the content rule's secret class, from `mesh-sdk`'s `outward` package (ADR 0310 §4): a
+line of a file or a matching line shaped like a secret is withheld and its number said, as is a link target
+or an account's words. Every line of a `BEGIN … END` block — a private key's or a certificate's — is withheld whole, because one
+base64 line of a key can pass the rule alone. A path and an entry's name are not judged: they are what the caller named or what the
+file system calls a thing, and the rule would take a temporary directory's or a container layer's name for a
+token.
+
+## Its verbs and their bounds
+
+| verb | replaces | bounds |
+|---|---|---|
+| `stat` | `stat`, `ls -ld`, `namei -l`, `findmnt -T` | 200 paths, 64 components each; links followed only with `follow` |
+| `readlink` | `readlink`, `readlink -f`, `realpath` | one path |
+| `list` | `ls`, `ls -la` | 2000 entries, cut and said |
+| `read` | `cat`, `head`, `tail`, `less` | 64 KiB, or up to 256 KiB when asked; cut at a line and said; text only |
+| `search` | `grep`, `grep -r`, `grep -F` | a fixed string; 100 matches (500 asked), 4 deep (8 asked), 5000 files, 4 MiB a file, 20 seconds (checked inside a file too); the named path's file system only, the others named; the bound met is said |
+| `account` | `getent passwd`, `getent group`, `id`, `groups` | 2000 accounts and groups; never a password field |
+
+No answer is larger than 1 MiB. Nothing here writes a file.

modules/mesh-reads/cmd/mesh-reads/main.go

@@ -0,0 +1,204 @@
+// mesh-reads (novox/hq ADR 0310, to-be 41 WP8): the holder of node-reads. A node's files and accounts read
+// through the mesh — the owner and mode of each component of a path, a link, a directory, a text file, a search
+// by fixed string, an account or a group — so these reads never go through the login shell's execute.
+//
+// It runs as an account of its own, mesh-reads, served by the tool runner in a runtime of its own (ADR 0259
+// §8): in no group that holds a secret, with no login shell and no home of the operator's, so the node's file
+// modes bound what it sees. On top, it refuses by name the places a secret is kept (refuse.go) and withholds
+// any piece of an answer shaped like a secret (mesh-sdk's outward). Read-only: nothing here writes a file.
+//
+// stdout is the MCP channel; what this module says, it says on stderr.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
+)
+
+// Seat is the role this module holds.
+const Seat = "node-reads"
+
+// PlacesWord is where the controller names this node's secret places (novox/hq ADR 0310 §5).
+const PlacesWord = "MESH_SECRET_PLACES"
+
+func main() {
+	places, err := placesFrom(os.Getenv(PlacesWord))
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[mesh-reads] %v\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	if err := stdio.Serve("", tools(newReader(places))); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[mesh-reads] %v\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+// placesFrom reads the controller's list. Absent is refused: without it, a module's own-secret directory
+// would be read wherever the account's modes allow, and a refusal the decision promises would be silent.
+func placesFrom(raw string) ([]string, error) {
+	if strings.TrimSpace(raw) == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is not given, so this node's secret places are unknown and nothing would be "+
+			"refused by them (novox/hq ADR 0310 §5): a controller that knows node-reads composes it", PlacesWord)
+	}
+	var places []string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(raw), &places); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is not a list of paths: %v", PlacesWord, err)
+	}
+	return places, nil
+}
+
+func str(description string) map[string]any {
+	return map[string]any{"type": "string", "description": description}
+}
+
+func arg(a map[string]any, k string) string {
+	switch v := a[k].(type) {
+	case string:
+		return strings.TrimSpace(v)
+	case float64:
+		return strconv.FormatFloat(v, 'f', -1, 64)
+	case bool:
+		return strconv.FormatBool(v)
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func number(a map[string]any, k string) (int, error) {
+	s := arg(a, k)
+	if s == "" {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+	n, err := strconv.Atoi(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("%s is a whole number, and %q was given", k, s)
+	}
+	return n, nil
+}
+
+// pathsArg is the paths given, one per line — or, from a caller that sends a list, the list.
+func pathsArg(a map[string]any) []string {
+	var raw []string
+	switch v := a["paths"].(type) {
+	case string:
+		raw = strings.Split(v, "\n")
+	case []any:
+		for _, p := range v {
+			if s, ok := p.(string); ok {
+				raw = append(raw, s)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	var out []string
+	for _, p := range raw {
+		if p = strings.TrimSpace(p); p != "" {
+			out = append(out, p)
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// bounded is the last bound (novox/hq ADR 0310): whatever a verb made, no answer is larger than MaxAnswer.
+func bounded(answer any, err error) (any, error) {
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	body, err := json.Marshal(answer)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if len(body) > MaxAnswer {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the answer is %d bytes, and an answer of node-reads is at most %d: ask for less", len(body), MaxAnswer)
+	}
+	return answer, nil
+}
+
+// verb is one of the seat's verbs: listed as `<seat>.<verb>`, so the runtime serves it on the seat's subject.
+// The descriptions are the controller's (internal/catalogue/reads.go), said again here for a caller of the
+// module's own address.
+func verb(name, description string, input map[string]any, run func(a map[string]any) (any, error)) stdio.Tool {
+	return stdio.Tool{Name: Seat + "." + name, Description: description, Input: input,
+		Run: func(a map[string]any) (any, error) { return bounded(run(a)) }}
+}
+
+func object(props map[string]any, required ...string) map[string]any {
+	if required == nil {
+		required = []string{}
+	}
+	return map[string]any{"type": "object", "properties": props, "required": required}
+}
+
+func tools(r Reader) []stdio.Tool {
+	return []stdio.Tool{
+		verb("stat", "Each component of one path or several, from / down: its type, owner and group (name and "+
+			"number), mode, whether it is a link and to what, and whether it is a mount point and of which file "+
+			"system. A link is not followed unless follow is \"true\". Read as the account mesh-reads, which holds no "+
+			"secret: a component it may not reach says so. At most 200 paths in one call.",
+			object(map[string]any{"paths": str("one absolute path, or several separated by line breaks"),
+				"follow": str("\"true\": also say where the path leads once every link is followed")}, "paths"),
+			func(a map[string]any) (any, error) { return r.Stat(pathsArg(a), arg(a, "follow") == "true") }),
+		verb("readlink", "What one link points to, as written, and where the path leads once every link is "+
+			"followed, and whether that exists.",
+			object(map[string]any{"path": str("an absolute path")}, "path"),
+			func(a map[string]any) (any, error) { return r.Readlink(arg(a, "path")) }),
+		verb("list", "Every entry of one directory with its type, owner, group, mode, size and, for a link, its "+
+			"target. At most 2000 entries; a longer directory is cut and says so. A place a secret is kept is "+
+			"refused by name.",
+			object(map[string]any{"path": str("an absolute path to a directory")}, "path"),
+			func(a map[string]any) (any, error) { return r.List(arg(a, "path")) }),
+		verb("read", "One text file, or a part of it by line: at most 256 KiB in one answer (64 KiB unless more "+
+			"is asked), cut at a line and said so. A negative from counts from the end, as tail does. A binary file "+
+			"is refused; a place a secret is kept, or a known credential file, is refused by name; a line shaped "+
+			"like a secret is withheld and its number said. /proc and /sys are read as far as mesh-reads may.",
+			object(map[string]any{"path": str("an absolute path to a file"),
+				"from":  str("the first line to answer, counted from 1; negative: that many lines from the end (optional)"),
+				"lines": str("how many lines to answer (optional)"),
+				"bytes": str("the most bytes to answer, up to 262144 (optional, 65536 unless given)")}, "path"),
+			func(a map[string]any) (any, error) {
+				var ask ReadAsk
+				var err error
+				if ask.From, err = number(a, "from"); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				if ask.Lines, err = number(a, "lines"); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				if ask.Bytes, err = number(a, "bytes"); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				return r.Read(arg(a, "path"), ask)
+			}),
+		verb("search", "Find a fixed string (never a pattern) in one file or under one directory: every matching "+
+			"line with its file and number. Bounded: at most 500 matches (100 unless more is asked), 8 directories "+
+			"deep (4 unless more is asked), 5000 files, 4 MiB per file and 20 seconds, on the file system of the path "+
+			"named; links are not followed and binary files are skipped. A place a secret is kept is skipped and named; a matching line shaped like "+
+			"a secret is withheld. The answer says which bound it met.",
+			object(map[string]any{"text": str("the fixed string to find"),
+				"path":    str("an absolute path to a file or a directory"),
+				"depth":   str("how many directories deep, up to 8 (optional)"),
+				"matches": str("the most matches to answer, up to 500 (optional)"),
+				"case":    str("\"false\": match whatever the case (optional)")}, "text", "path"),
+			func(a map[string]any) (any, error) {
+				text, _ := a["text"].(string) // as given: a space at either end is part of what is found
+				ask := SearchAsk{Text: text, Path: arg(a, "path"), CaseInsensitive: arg(a, "case") == "false"}
+				var err error
+				if ask.Depth, err = number(a, "depth"); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				if ask.Matches, err = number(a, "matches"); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				return r.Search(ask)
+			}),
+		verb("account", "One account or group by name or number, as this node's account files say: an account's "+
+			"number, group, home, shell and every group it is in; a group's number and members. With neither, every "+
+			"account and group. Never a password field.",
+			object(map[string]any{"name": str("an account's name or number (optional)"),
+				"group": str("a group's name or number (optional)")}),
+			func(a map[string]any) (any, error) { return r.Account(arg(a, "name"), arg(a, "group")) }),
+	}
+}

modules/mesh-reads/cmd/mesh-reads/manifest_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// ADR 0310 §3: the account the reads run as is the module's own, made by the mesh, with no login shell, no
+// home of the operator's and no group beside its own, and the module runs as it.
+func TestTheAccountHoldsNoSecretsGroupAndNoLogin(t *testing.T) {
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile("../../module.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	var m struct {
+		RunsAs       string           `json:"runs-as"`
+		SecretsOwner string           `json:"secrets-owner"`
+		Claims       []map[string]any `json:"claims"`
+		Resources    []map[string]any `json:"resources"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &m); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if m.RunsAs != "mesh-reads" || m.SecretsOwner != "mesh-reads" {
+		t.Errorf("runs as %q, secrets owned by %q", m.RunsAs, m.SecretsOwner)
+	}
+	if len(m.Claims) != 1 || m.Claims[0]["name"] != Seat {
+		t.Errorf("claims %v", m.Claims)
+	}
+	found := false
+	for _, r := range m.Resources {
+		if r["type"] != "user" {
+			continue
+		}
+		found = true
+		if r["name"] != m.RunsAs {
+			t.Errorf("a user other than its own: %v", r)
+		}
+		if r["shell"] != "/usr/bin/nologin" {
+			t.Errorf("the account has a login shell: %v", r["shell"])
+		}
+		if home, _ := r["home"].(string); !strings.HasPrefix(home, "/var/lib/") {
+			t.Errorf("the account's home is %q, not one of the mesh's", home)
+		}
+		if _, grouped := r["groups"]; grouped {
+			t.Errorf("the account is put in groups: %v", r["groups"])
+		}
+	}
+	if !found {
+		t.Error("the module makes no account of its own")
+	}
+	for _, r := range m.Resources {
+		if r["type"] != "user" && r["type"] != "directory" {
+			t.Errorf("a read-only holder declares a %v: %v", r["type"], r)
+		}
+	}
+}

modules/mesh-reads/cmd/mesh-reads/reads_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,562 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	crand "crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/rsa"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"encoding/pem"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// A token shaped as a secret, written into files the tests read.
+const aToken = "ghp_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789"
+
+func testReader(t *testing.T, places ...string) (Reader, string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	passwd := filepath.Join(dir, "passwd")
+	group := filepath.Join(dir, "group")
+	mountinfo := filepath.Join(dir, "mountinfo")
+	write(t, passwd, "root:x:0:0::/root:/usr/bin/bash\nops:x:1000:1000:The Operator:/home/ops:/usr/bin/zsh\n"+
+		"mesh-reads:x:961:961::/var/lib/mesh-reads:/usr/bin/nologin\n")
+	write(t, group, "root:x:0:\nwheel:x:998:ops\nops:x:1000:\nmesh-reads:x:961:\ndocker:x:970:ops,builder\n")
+	data := filepath.Join(dir, "data")
+	write(t, mountinfo, "22 1 0:21 / / rw,relatime - btrfs /dev/nvme0n1p2 rw\n"+
+		"40 22 0:40 / "+strings.ReplaceAll(data, " ", `\040`)+" rw - nfs4 home-server:/tank/data rw\n")
+	r := Reader{Refuser: Refuser{Places: places}, Passwd: passwd, Group: group, MountInfo: mountinfo,
+		Euid: func() int { return 961 }, Now: time.Now}
+	return r, dir
+}
+
+func write(t *testing.T, path, content string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+// ADR 0310 §3: run as root, every read is refused, loudly — its bound is an account of its own.
+func TestEveryReadIsRefusedAsRoot(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	r.Euid = func() int { return 0 }
+	write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "f"), "x\n")
+	if _, err := r.Read(filepath.Join(dir, "f"), ReadAsk{}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "root") {
+		t.Errorf("a read as root: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Stat([]string{dir}, false); err == nil {
+		t.Error("a stat as root was answered")
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Account("ops", ""); err == nil {
+		t.Error("an account lookup as root was answered")
+	}
+}
+
+// ADR 0310 §5: without the controller's list of secret places it does not start: a refusal it promises would be
+// silent.
+func TestItDoesNotStartWithoutTheNodesSecretPlaces(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := placesFrom(""); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), PlacesWord) {
+		t.Errorf("no places: %v", err)
+	}
+	if p, err := placesFrom(`["/var/lib/mesh-vault"]`); err != nil || len(p) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("a list: %v %v", p, err)
+	}
+	if p, err := placesFrom(`[]`); err != nil || len(p) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("an empty list is a node with no secret place: %v %v", p, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// ADR 0310 §5: a path under the vault's directory, a module's own-secret directory and a known credential file
+// are each refused by name before any read — though the account's modes would allow it — and a link to one is
+// refused as the place is.
+func TestSecretPlacesAreRefusedByNameBeforeAnyRead(t *testing.T) {
+	r0, dir := testReader(t)
+	vault := filepath.Join(dir, "var/lib/mesh-vault")
+	own := filepath.Join(dir, "var/lib/desk-channel")
+	r, _ := r0, dir
+	r.Places = []string{vault, own}
+	for _, p := range []string{
+		filepath.Join(vault, "ledger/entries.json"),
+		filepath.Join(own, "broker"),
+		filepath.Join(own, "settings.json"),
+		filepath.Join(dir, "home/ops/.claude/.credentials.json"),
+		filepath.Join(dir, "home/ops/.ssh/config"),
+		filepath.Join(dir, "home/ops/.pgpass"),
+		filepath.Join(dir, "etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key"),
+		filepath.Join(dir, "etc/shadow"),
+		filepath.Join(dir, "srv/tls/server.key"),
+	} {
+		write(t, p, "harmless words\n")
+		if _, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "refused by name") {
+			t.Errorf("%s was read: %v", p, err)
+		}
+	}
+	if _, err := r.List(vault); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "refused by name") {
+		t.Errorf("the vault's directory was listed: %v", err)
+	}
+	link := filepath.Join(dir, "tmp/innocent")
+	write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "tmp/x"), "")
+	if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(own, "broker"), link); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Read(link, ReadAsk{}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "leads to") {
+		t.Errorf("a link to a secret place was read: %v", err)
+	}
+	// A search under a directory holding a secret place skips it and names it.
+	write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "home/ops/notes.txt"), "harmless words\n")
+	a, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "harmless", Path: filepath.Join(dir, "home"), Depth: 8})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(a.Matches) != 1 || !strings.HasSuffix(a.Matches[0].File, "notes.txt") || len(a.Skipped) != 3 {
+		t.Errorf("search: matches %v, skipped %v", a.Matches, a.Skipped)
+	}
+	// What a public key or a certificate is, is not refused.
+	for _, p := range []string{filepath.Join(dir, "etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub"), filepath.Join(dir, "etc/ssl/certs/ca.pem")} {
+		write(t, p, "harmless words\n")
+		if _, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{}); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%s was refused: %v", p, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// ADR 0310 §3: what the account's file modes refuse is refused — the first bound, below the names.
+func TestAFileTheAccountMayNotReadIsRefusedByItsMode(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Geteuid() == 0 {
+		t.Skip("run as root, a file's mode refuses nothing")
+	}
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	p := filepath.Join(dir, "operators-only")
+	write(t, p, "the operator's words\n")
+	if err := os.Chmod(p, 0o000); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "may not reach it") {
+		t.Errorf("a file of mode 0000: %v", err)
+	}
+	closed := filepath.Join(dir, "closed")
+	write(t, filepath.Join(closed, "inside"), "x")
+	if err := os.Chmod(closed, 0o700&^0o100); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Chmod(closed, 0o755)
+	a, err := r.Stat([]string{filepath.Join(closed, "inside")}, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := a.Paths[0]; !strings.Contains(got.Stopped, "may not reach") {
+		t.Errorf("a path through a directory it may not search: %+v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// ADR 0310 §2 and the bounds: a read over the size bound is cut at a line and says so; more than the most is
+// refused; lines and a tail are answered as asked.
+func TestAReadIsBounded(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	p := filepath.Join(dir, "big")
+	var b strings.Builder
+	for i := 1; i <= 20000; i++ {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "line %d of the file\n", i)
+	}
+	write(t, p, b.String())
+	a, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(a.Text) > DefaultReadSize || !strings.Contains(a.Cut, fmt.Sprint(DefaultReadSize)) || a.From != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("a default read: %d bytes, cut %q", len(a.Text), a.Cut)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{Bytes: MaxReadSize + 1}); err == nil {
+		t.Error("more than the most a read answers was answered")
+	}
+	a, err = r.Read(p, ReadAsk{From: 10, Lines: 2})
+	if err != nil || a.Text != "line 10 of the file\nline 11 of the file\n" || a.From != 10 || a.Cut != "" {
+		t.Errorf("lines 10 and 11: %+v %v", a, err)
+	}
+	a, err = r.Read(p, ReadAsk{From: -2})
+	if err != nil || a.Text != "line 19999 of the file\nline 20000 of the file\n" || a.From != 19999 {
+		t.Errorf("the last two lines: %q from %d, %v", a.Text, a.From, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{From: 30000}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "20000 lines") {
+		t.Errorf("a line past the end: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// A binary file, a directory and a fifo are refused, and the fifo without waiting for a writer.
+func TestOnlyATextFileIsRead(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	bin := filepath.Join(dir, "bin")
+	write(t, bin, "ELF\x00\x01\x02")
+	if _, err := r.Read(bin, ReadAsk{}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "binary") {
+		t.Errorf("a binary file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Read(dir, ReadAsk{}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "directory") {
+		t.Errorf("a directory: %v", err)
+	}
+	fifo := filepath.Join(dir, "fifo")
+	if err := syscall.Mkfifo(fifo, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() { _, err := r.Read(fifo, ReadAsk{}); done <- err }()
+	select {
+	case err := <-done:
+		if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "fifo") {
+			t.Errorf("a fifo: %v", err)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("a read of a fifo waits for a writer")
+	}
+}
+
+// ADR 0310 §4: a line shaped like a secret is withheld, its number said, and the rest is answered.
+func TestALineShapedLikeASecretIsWithheld(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	p := filepath.Join(dir, "app.conf")
+	write(t, p, "listen = /run/app.sock\ntoken = "+aToken+"\nuser = app\n")
+	a, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(a.Text, aToken) || !strings.Contains(a.Text, "user = app") ||
+		!strings.Contains(a.Text, "listen = /run/app.sock") || fmt.Sprint(a.Withheld) != "[2]" {
+		t.Errorf("read: %q withheld %v", a.Text, a.Withheld)
+	}
+	m, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "token", Path: dir})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(m)
+	if strings.Contains(string(body), aToken) || len(m.Matches) != 1 || len(m.Withheld) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("search: %s", body)
+	}
+}
+
+// The bounds of a search: matches, depth, the most asked, and time — each met is said.
+func TestASearchIsBounded(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	for i := 0; i < 30; i++ {
+		write(t, filepath.Join(dir, fmt.Sprintf("f%02d", i)), "needle\nneedle\n")
+	}
+	a, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: dir, Matches: 7})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(a.Matches) != 7 || !strings.HasPrefix(a.Bound, "matches") {
+		t.Errorf("seven matches asked: %d, bound %q", len(a.Matches), a.Bound)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: dir, Matches: MaxMatches + 1}); err == nil {
+		t.Error("more matches than the most were asked and answered")
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: dir, Depth: MaxDepth + 1}); err == nil {
+		t.Error("deeper than the most was asked and answered")
+	}
+	deep := t.TempDir()
+	write(t, filepath.Join(deep, "a/b/c/shallow"), "needle\n")
+	write(t, filepath.Join(deep, "a/b/c/d/e/deep"), "needle\n")
+	a, err = r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: deep, Depth: 3})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(a.Matches) != 1 || !strings.HasSuffix(a.Matches[0].File, "shallow") {
+		t.Errorf("three deep: %+v", a.Matches)
+	}
+	// Case: as asked.
+	write(t, filepath.Join(deep, "case"), "NEEDLE\n")
+	if a, _ := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: filepath.Join(deep, "case")}); len(a.Matches) != 0 {
+		t.Error("a match whatever the case, unasked")
+	}
+	if a, _ := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: filepath.Join(deep, "case"), CaseInsensitive: true}); len(a.Matches) != 1 {
+		t.Error("no match whatever the case, asked")
+	}
+	// Time: a clock past the bound stops the walk and says so.
+	start := time.Now()
+	calls := 0
+	r.Now = func() time.Time { calls++; return start.Add(time.Duration(calls) * SearchTime / 3) }
+	a, err = r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "needle", Path: dir})
+	if err != nil || !strings.HasPrefix(a.Bound, "time") {
+		t.Errorf("the time bound: %q %v", a.Bound, err)
+	}
+	// A fixed string: a pattern's characters are themselves.
+	write(t, filepath.Join(deep, "pattern"), "a.c\nabc\n")
+	if a, _ := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "a.c", Path: filepath.Join(deep, "pattern")}); len(a.Matches) != 1 || a.Matches[0].Line != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("a.c as a fixed string: %+v", a.Matches)
+	}
+}
+
+// The survey issue 418 was asked for: each component of a path with its owner, group, mode, whether it is a
+// link and to what, and whether it is a mount point — the link not followed unless asked.
+func TestStatSaysEachComponent(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	data := filepath.Join(dir, "data")
+	write(t, filepath.Join(data, "real/file"), "x")
+	if err := os.Chmod(filepath.Join(data, "real"), os.ModeSetgid|0o750); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.Symlink("real", filepath.Join(data, "link")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	a, err := r.Stat([]string{filepath.Join(data, "link"), filepath.Join(data, "real/file")}, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	link := a.Paths[0]
+	last := link.Components[len(link.Components)-1]
+	if link.Components[0].Path != "/" || last.Type != "link" || last.Link != "real" || link.LeadsTo != "" {
+		t.Errorf("the link, not followed: %+v", link)
+	}
+	var dataC, realC Component
+	for _, c := range a.Paths[1].Components {
+		switch c.Path {
+		case data:
+			dataC = c
+		case filepath.Join(data, "real"):
+			realC = c
+		}
+	}
+	if dataC.Mount == nil || dataC.Mount.FS != "nfs4" {
+		t.Errorf("the mount point is not said: %+v", dataC)
+	}
+	if realC.Mode != "2750" || realC.Type != "directory" || realC.UID == nil || realC.Perms == "" {
+		t.Errorf("a component's mode: %+v", realC)
+	}
+	if uid := *realC.UID; uid == 1000 && realC.Owner != "ops" {
+		t.Errorf("owner %d named %q", uid, realC.Owner)
+	}
+	a, err = r.Stat([]string{filepath.Join(data, "link")}, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if a.Paths[0].LeadsTo != filepath.Join(data, "real") || a.Paths[0].Leads == nil || a.Paths[0].Leads.Type != "directory" {
+		t.Errorf("followed: %+v", a.Paths[0])
+	}
+	a, err = r.Stat([]string{filepath.Join(dir, "missing/deeper")}, false)
+	if err != nil || !strings.Contains(a.Paths[0].Stopped, "does not exist") {
+		t.Errorf("a missing path: %+v %v", a, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Stat([]string{"relative/path"}, false); err == nil {
+		t.Error("a relative path was answered")
+	}
+	many := make([]string, MaxPaths+1)
+	for i := range many {
+		many[i] = "/"
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Stat(many, false); err == nil {
+		t.Error("more paths than the most were answered")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestReadlinkSaysTheTargetAndWhereItLeads(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "target"), "")
+	if err := os.Symlink("target", filepath.Join(dir, "l1")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.Symlink("l1", filepath.Join(dir, "l2")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.Symlink("nowhere", filepath.Join(dir, "dangling")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	a, err := r.Readlink(filepath.Join(dir, "l2"))
+	if err != nil || !a.IsLink || a.Link != "l1" || a.LeadsTo != filepath.Join(dir, "target") || !a.Exists {
+		t.Errorf("l2: %+v %v", a, err)
+	}
+	a, err = r.Readlink(filepath.Join(dir, "dangling"))
+	if err != nil || !a.IsLink || a.Exists || !strings.Contains(a.Stopped, "does not exist") {
+		t.Errorf("dangling: %+v %v", a, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestListSaysEveryEntry(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "d/a"), "abc")
+	if err := os.Symlink("a", filepath.Join(dir, "d/b")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	a, err := r.List(filepath.Join(dir, "d"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if a.Count != 2 || a.Entries[0].Name != "a" || *a.Entries[0].Size != 3 || a.Entries[1].Type != "link" || a.Entries[1].Link != "a" {
+		t.Errorf("list: %+v", a)
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < MaxEntries+5; i++ {
+		write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "many", fmt.Sprintf("e%05d", i)), "")
+	}
+	a, err = r.List(filepath.Join(dir, "many"))
+	if err != nil || len(a.Entries) != MaxEntries || a.Count != MaxEntries+5 || a.Cut == "" {
+		t.Errorf("a long directory: %d of %d, cut %q, %v", len(a.Entries), a.Count, a.Cut, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// getent passwd, getent group and id: an account with every group it is in, a group with its members, never a
+// password field.
+func TestAccountAndGroupLookup(t *testing.T) {
+	r, _ := testReader(t)
+	a, err := r.Account("ops", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	u := a.Accounts[0]
+	sort.Strings(u.Groups)
+	if u.UID != 1000 || u.Group != "ops" || u.Shell != "/usr/bin/zsh" || fmt.Sprint(u.Groups) != "[docker ops wheel]" {
+		t.Errorf("ops: %+v", u)
+	}
+	if a, err := r.Account("961", ""); err != nil || a.Accounts[0].Name != "mesh-reads" {
+		t.Errorf("by number: %+v %v", a, err)
+	}
+	g, err := r.Account("", "docker")
+	if err != nil || g.Groups[0].GID != 970 || fmt.Sprint(g.Groups[0].Members) != "[ops builder]" {
+		t.Errorf("docker: %+v %v", g, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := r.Account("nobody-here", ""); err == nil {
+		t.Error("a missing account was answered")
+	}
+	all, err := r.Account("", "")
+	if err != nil || len(all.Accounts) != 3 || len(all.Groups) != 5 {
+		t.Errorf("all: %+v %v", all, err)
+	}
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(all)
+	if strings.Contains(string(body), `"x"`) || strings.Contains(string(body), "password") {
+		t.Errorf("a password field is answered: %s", body)
+	}
+}
+
+// No answer is larger than the bound, whatever a verb made.
+func TestNoAnswerIsLargerThanTheBound(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := bounded(strings.Repeat("x", MaxAnswer+1), nil); err == nil {
+		t.Error("an answer over the bound was given")
+	}
+	if _, err := bounded("small", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+}
+
+// The seat's six verbs, as the controller defines them (mesh-controller internal/catalogue/reads.go).
+func TestItServesTheSeatsVerbs(t *testing.T) {
+	r, _ := testReader(t)
+	var names []string
+	for _, tool := range tools(r) {
+		names = append(names, tool.Name)
+	}
+	if fmt.Sprint(names) != "[node-reads.stat node-reads.readlink node-reads.list node-reads.read node-reads.search node-reads.account]" {
+		t.Errorf("verbs: %v", names)
+	}
+}
+
+// The review of #244 (required 1): a link flipped between a harmless file and a secret place, while it is read
+// and searched, never answers the secret place's content — what was opened is judged, not the name.
+func TestALinkFlippedDuringAReadNeverReadsASecretPlace(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	secret := filepath.Join(dir, "var/lib/mesh-reads")
+	r.Places = []string{secret}
+	write(t, filepath.Join(secret, "broker"), "THE-BROKER-CREDENTIAL\n")
+	write(t, filepath.Join(dir, "plain"), "THE-PLAIN-WORDS\n")
+	link := filepath.Join(dir, "shared/link")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(link), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	stop := make(chan struct{})
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer close(done)
+		targets := []string{filepath.Join(dir, "plain"), filepath.Join(secret, "broker")}
+		for i := 0; ; i++ {
+			select {
+			case <-stop:
+				return
+			default:
+			}
+			tmp := link + ".new"
+			os.Remove(tmp)
+			if os.Symlink(targets[i%2], tmp) == nil {
+				os.Rename(tmp, link)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+	leaked := 0
+	for i := 0; i < 5000; i++ {
+		if a, err := r.Read(link, ReadAsk{}); err == nil && strings.Contains(a.Text, "BROKER") {
+			leaked++
+		}
+		if a, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "BROKER", Path: filepath.Dir(link)}); err == nil && len(a.Matches) > 0 {
+			leaked++
+		}
+	}
+	close(stop)
+	<-done
+	if leaked > 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a secret place was answered %d times through a flipped link", leaked)
+	}
+}
+
+// The review of #244 (required 2): every line of a private key's block is withheld, in a read and in a search,
+// though the file's name is not refused.
+func TestEveryLineOfAKeyBlockIsWithheld(t *testing.T) {
+	r, dir := testReader(t)
+	key, err := rsa.GenerateKey(crand.Reader, 2048)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	der, err := x509.MarshalPKCS8PrivateKey(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	body := string(pem.EncodeToMemory(&pem.Block{Type: "PRIVATE KEY", Bytes: der}))
+	p := filepath.Join(dir, "server.pem")
+	write(t, p, "# the server's key\n"+body+"after = the block\n")
+	a, err := r.Read(p, ReadAsk{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	lines := strings.Count(body, "\n")
+	for _, l := range strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(body), "\n")[1:] {
+		if strings.Contains(a.Text, l) && !strings.HasPrefix(l, "-----END") {
+			t.Fatalf("a line of the key was answered: %q", l)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(a.Withheld) != lines || !strings.Contains(a.Text, "after = the block") || !strings.Contains(a.Text, "the server's key") {
+		t.Errorf("withheld %d of the block's %d lines; text:\n%s", len(a.Withheld), lines, a.Text)
+	}
+	// A search for a character every base64 line holds answers none of the key.
+	m, err := r.Search(SearchAsk{Text: "A", Path: p, Matches: MaxMatches})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, x := range m.Matches {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(x.Text, "‹withheld") {
+			t.Errorf("a search answered a line of the key: %q", x.Text)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// The review of #244 (required 3 and should): histories, browser profiles, a process's private entries and the
+// cluster credentials are refused by name.
+func TestHistoriesProfilesAndProcessesAreRefusedByName(t *testing.T) {
+	var r Refuser
+	for _, p := range []string{"/home/ops/.zsh_history", "/home/ops/.bash_history", "/root/.psql_history",
+		"/home/ops/.viminfo", "/home/ops/.mozilla/firefox/x.default/logins.json",
+		"/home/ops/.config/google-chrome/Default/Cookies", "/home/ops/.config/chromium/Default/Login Data",
+		"/proc/self/environ", "/proc/1234/mem", "/proc/self/fd/3", "/proc/thread-self/root/etc/shadow",
+		"/etc/rancher/k3s/k3s.yaml", "/etc/kubernetes/admin.conf"} {
+		if r.Refused(p) == "" {
+			t.Errorf("%s is not refused", p)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, p := range []string{"/proc/mdstat", "/proc/self/status", "/home/ops/.config/i3/config", "/etc/hosts"} {
+		if why := r.Refused(p); why != "" {
+			t.Errorf("%s is refused: %s", p, why)
+		}
+	}
+}

modules/mesh-reads/cmd/mesh-reads/refuse.go

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/outward"
+)
+
+// What is refused by name, before any read (novox/hq ADR 0310 §5), and what an answer withholds (§4).
+//
+// **Two lists of places.** The places the mesh knows a secret is kept on this node — every module's own-secret
+// directory, every credential file and grant directory, the vault's directories — come from the controller,
+// which composes them from the manifests (MESH_SECRET_PLACES). The known credential files of the programs
+// on a machine are this module's list, below: the mesh does not write them, so nothing else names them. Both
+// hold whatever the account's file modes would allow: the file modes are the first bound, the names the second.
+
+// knownDirs are directories that hold nothing but credentials, wherever they are: an account's keys.
+var knownDirs = map[string]bool{
+	".ssh": true, ".gnupg": true, ".password-store": true, ".aws": true, ".kube": true, ".azure": true,
+	".mozilla": true, ".thunderbird": true, // browser and mail profiles: saved logins and cookies
+}
+
+// knownNames are file names that are a credential whatever directory they are in.
+var knownNames = map[string]bool{
+	".credentials.json": true, // the agent's credentials (Claude Code)
+	".netrc":            true, ".pgpass": true, ".git-credentials": true, ".npmrc": true, ".pypirc": true,
+	".my.cnf": true, ".vault-token": true, "credentials": true, "credentials.json": true,
+	"id_rsa": true, "id_dsa": true, "id_ecdsa": true, "id_ed25519": true, "id_ecdsa_sk": true, "id_ed25519_sk": true,
+	"shadow": true, "gshadow": true, "shadow-": true, "gshadow-": true, "opasswd": true,
+	"broker": true, // the mesh's name for a module's bus credential
+	// Shell and program histories: where a token is typed.
+	".bash_history": true, ".zsh_history": true, ".histfile": true, ".python_history": true, ".psql_history": true,
+	".mysql_history": true, ".lesshst": true, ".viminfo": true, ".node_repl_history": true, ".sqlite_history": true,
+	".rediscli_history": true,
+}
+
+// knownSuffixes are file name endings a credential has.
+var knownSuffixes = []string{".key", ".p12", ".pfx", ".jks", ".keystore", ".creds", ".nk", ".kdbx", "_key"}
+
+// knownPaths are the places on a machine that hold credentials and are not a module's.
+var knownPaths = []string{
+	"/etc/ssl/private", "/etc/wireguard", "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections", "/etc/ipsec.d/private",
+	"/var/lib/iwd", "/etc/docker/key.json", "/root/.docker/config.json", "/var/lib/sss/secrets",
+	"/etc/rancher", "/etc/kubernetes/admin.conf",
+}
+
+// knownProfiles are directories under an account's .config that hold a browser's saved logins and cookies.
+var knownProfiles = map[string]bool{"google-chrome": true, "chromium": true, "BraveSoftware": true, "vivaldi": true,
+	"microsoft-edge": true}
+
+// procPrivate are the entries of a process under /proc that reach its memory, its environment or its files.
+var procPrivate = map[string]bool{"environ": true, "mem": true, "fd": true, "map_files": true, "root": true,
+	"cwd": true}
+
+// Refuser says whether a path is a place a secret is kept.
+type Refuser struct {
+	// Places are the mesh's, from the controller: refused with everything beneath them.
+	Places []string
+}
+
+// Refused says why a path may not be read, or "" when it may. The path is clean and absolute.
+func (r Refuser) Refused(path string) string {
+	path = filepath.Clean(path)
+	for _, p := range r.Places {
+		if within(path, p) {
+			return "it is a place the mesh keeps a secret (" + p + ")"
+		}
+	}
+	for _, p := range knownPaths {
+		if within(path, p) {
+			return "it is a place a machine keeps credentials (" + p + ")"
+		}
+	}
+	parts := strings.Split(strings.TrimPrefix(path, "/"), "/")
+	if len(parts) >= 3 && parts[0] == "proc" && procPrivate[parts[2]] {
+		return "it reaches a process's " + parts[2]
+	}
+	for i, part := range parts {
+		if i > 0 && parts[i-1] == ".config" && knownProfiles[part] {
+			return "it is " + part + "'s profile, which keeps saved logins"
+		}
+		if knownDirs[part] {
+			return "it is in " + part + ", which holds an account's credentials"
+		}
+		if i == len(parts)-1 {
+			if knownNames[part] {
+				return part + " is a known credential file"
+			}
+			for _, s := range knownSuffixes {
+				if strings.HasSuffix(part, s) && len(part) > len(s) {
+					return part + " is named as a key or a credential (" + s + ")"
+				}
+			}
+			if strings.HasSuffix(part, ".pem") && (strings.Contains(part, "key") || strings.Contains(part, "private")) {
+				return part + " is named as a private key"
+			}
+			if part == "config.json" && i > 0 && parts[i-1] == ".docker" {
+				return "a container registry login is kept there"
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func within(path, place string) bool {
+	return path == place || strings.HasPrefix(path, strings.TrimSuffix(place, "/")+"/")
+}
+
+// Withheld is one piece of an answer the content rule kept back: where it was, and the class it carried.
+type Withheld struct {
+	At    string `json:"at"`
+	Class string `json:"why"`
+}
+
+// clean is the content rule's secret class (mesh-sdk outward, novox/hq ADR 0310 §4) over one piece of an
+// answer: the piece, or a mark in its place when it is shaped like a secret.
+//
+// **What a file holds, not what the file system names.** It judges a file's lines, a matching line, a link's
+// target, a mount's source and an account's words. A path and an entry's name are not judged: they are what
+// the caller named or the file system calls a thing, and the rule's random-run test takes a temporary
+// directory's or a container layer's name for a token, which would withhold the very survey asked for. A
+// place where a secret sits by name is refused before any read instead (Refuser).
+func clean(s string) (string, string) {
+	if refusal, ok := outward.CheckSecret(s); !ok {
+		return "‹withheld: " + refusal.What + "›", refusal.What
+	}
+	return s, ""
+}

modules/mesh-reads/go.mod

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module mesh-reads
+
+go 1.25.0
+
+require git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261012122749-67bfa22132f2

modules/mesh-reads/go.sum

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261012122749-67bfa22132f2 h1:1E5iapAO1o4vkwV/8CUBQvNfL3OjXRtiQGBaKHXJVW8=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261012122749-67bfa22132f2/go.mod h1:GFuZUElBZ9A++mxgIKo97aXXo+kV0uJ/UkbhQPPIbrY=

modules/mesh-reads/module.json

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+{
+  "module": "mesh-reads",
+  "version": "1",
+  "runs-as": "mesh-reads",
+  "claims": [
+    {
+      "name": "node-reads",
+      "scope": "node",
+      "serves": [
+        "stat",
+        "readlink",
+        "list",
+        "read",
+        "search",
+        "account"
+      ]
+    }
+  ],
+  "own-secrets": {
+    "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"
+  },
+  "secrets-owner": "mesh-reads",
+  "resources": [
+    {
+      "id": "account",
+      "type": "user",
+      "name": "mesh-reads",
+      "shell": "/usr/bin/nologin",
+      "home": "/var/lib/mesh-reads"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "state",
+      "type": "directory",
+      "mode": "0700",
+      "owner": "mesh-reads",
+      "place": "."
+    }
+  ],
+  "build": {
+    "artifacts": [
+      {
+        "name": "tools",
+        "kind": "bundle",
+        "language": "go",
+        "system": "arch",
+        "from": "cmd/mesh-reads",
+        "binary": "mesh-reads",
+        "loads": [
+          "mesh-reads"
+        ]
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}