Answer the indexer's trunk value at the trunk's commit alone in the declarations test, so its take-in records mesh-host's build (issue 1945)

The stub answered the trunk for every commit, so since registering on the
fingerprint (666d1b68, #465) mesh-host, registered at an older commit, looked
already at the trunk's fingerprint: the take-in only moved its commit, no build
was recorded, and the fingerprints never named the new node-engine. The real
indexer holds no value at a commit it never indexed.

cmd/mesh-controller/acting.go

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go/jetstream"
 
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/broker"
-	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/conditions"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/inventory"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/lease"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/link"
@@ -73,14 +72,6 @@ type actor struct {
 	// lease over in a second rather than in a renewal of five (novox/hq issue 591). A renewal is given
 	// the lease's own RenewEvery to answer however often it is made, so a slow bus does not lose it.
 	renewEvery, poll time.Duration
-	// releasing is held for the whole of a release, so a second caller — the stop signal's and serve's own
-	// deferred one — waits until the lease is given back and its epoch recorded, never past it to the store's
-	// close (novox/hq issue 906).
-	releasing sync.Mutex
-	// keeper and inv are where a takeover is said (sayTakeover): set once the serving controller's condition
-	// store opens; nil before, and in a command.
-	keeper *conditions.Keeper
-	inv    *inventory.Inventory
 }
 
 // theLease is this process's standing to the lease.
@@ -183,11 +174,8 @@ func (a *actor) forACommand(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 	return holder.Epoch, nil
 }
 
-// release gives back what this process holds, at its end — or at the stop signal, before the rest of the
-// process is taken down (serveUnderTheLease). A second call waits for the first to finish.
+// release gives back what this process holds, at its end.
 func (a *actor) release() {
-	a.releasing.Lock()
-	defer a.releasing.Unlock()
 	a.mu.Lock()
 	closing := a.close
 	a.close = nil
@@ -278,40 +266,20 @@ func (a *actor) serveUnderTheLease(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory
 	}
 	a.mu.Lock()
 	a.close = func() {
-		// Given back first, then recorded: an epoch is recorded released only when its key is gone, and
-		// whatever the gate says by then — a shutdown longer than half the key's age closed it, and the epoch
-		// was left open for the next holder to find "expired" (novox/hq issue 906, 2026-10-26).
-		if given := l.Release(context.Background()); given != 0 {
+		if held, err := l.Epoch(); err == nil {
 			ending, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
-			if err := inv.EndEpoch(ending, given, inventory.EpochReleased); err != nil {
-				say("how epoch %d ended could not be recorded: %v", given, err)
+			if err := inv.EndEpoch(ending, held, inventory.EpochReleased); err != nil {
+				say("how epoch %d ended could not be recorded: %v", held, err)
 			}
 			cancel()
 		}
+		l.Release(context.Background())
 		js.Close()
 	}
 	a.mu.Unlock()
-	// **The stop signal gives the lease back first** (novox/hq issue 906): the moment ctx ends, before the rest
-	// of the process is taken down, the gate closes and the key goes, so the next controller takes the lease
-	// at once and the epoch is recorded released. Waiting for the process's own end left the key unrenewed for
-	// as long as the shutdown took — ten seconds on 2026-10-26, past the gate's half-age.
-	go func() {
-		<-ctx.Done()
-		if a.holds(l) {
-			say("stopping: the controller lease is given back first")
-		}
-		a.release()
-	}()
 	return gone, nil
 }
 
-// holds is whether this process holds l now.
-func (a *actor) holds(l *lease.Lease) bool {
-	a.mu.Lock()
-	defer a.mu.Unlock()
-	return a.held == l
-}
-
 // took is the lease taken: recorded, earlier epochs nobody gave back ended as expired, kept.
 func (a *actor) took(ctx context.Context, l *lease.Lease, inv *inventory.Inventory, epoch uint64, gone chan struct{}) {
 	a.mu.Lock()
@@ -320,19 +288,15 @@ func (a *actor) took(ctx context.Context, l *lease.Lease, inv *inventory.Invento
 	h := holderOf(instance)
 	recording, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 10*time.Second)
 	expired, err := inv.TookEpoch(recording, inventory.Epoch{Epoch: epoch, Instance: h.Instance, Host: h.Host,
-		Build: h.Build, Taken: time.Now()}, l.GivenBack())
+		Build: h.Build, Taken: time.Now()})
 	cancel()
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("epoch %d could not be recorded as taken, so a stale refusal from it will not name it: %v\n", epoch, err)
 	}
-	if given := l.GivenBack(); given != 0 {
-		fmt.Printf("the lease was given back by the controller of epoch %d: taken at once, at epoch %d\n", given, epoch)
-	}
 	for _, e := range expired {
 		fmt.Printf("the controller of epoch %d (%s) stopped renewing the lease without giving it back: it is "+
 			"taken over at epoch %d\n", e.Epoch, e.Instance, epoch)
 	}
-	a.sayTakeover(ctx, epoch)
 	go l.Keep(ctx)
 	go func() {
 		<-l.Lost()

cmd/mesh-controller/addresses_integration_test.go

@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ func TestTheRegistryTrustAndEveryImageFollowThePortTheNodeGaveTheStore(t *testin
 
 func TestTheControlPlaneIsToldWhereTheNodePutTheStoreAndTheBroker(t *testing.T) {
 	open := aMesh(t)
-	// Issue 1126: the placement export over this fresh mesh, before anything below changes it.
-	placementExportIsEachNodesPlacementFromTheStore(t, open)
 	ctx := t.Context()
 	raw, err := os.ReadFile("../../module.json")
 	if err != nil {

cmd/mesh-controller/identity_bound_test.go

@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ func TestModuleCheckRefusesAnIdentityThatOverflowsWhatItRequires(t *testing.T) {
 		return p
 	}
 	objects := write("objects", `{"module":"objects","version":"1",
-		"provides":[{"name":"s3-bucket","scope":"mesh","identity":{"max":20,"in":"an S3 access key"},"credential":{"form":"pair"}}],
+		"provides":[{"name":"s3-bucket","scope":"mesh","identity":{"max":20,"in":"an S3 access key"}}],
 		"receives":{"s3-bucket":"/var/lib/mesh/objects/mesh.json"}}`)
 	resolver := write("resolver", `{"module":"resolver","version":"1",
-		"provides":[{"name":"wildcard-resolution","scope":"mesh","identity":false,"credential":{"form":"none"}}]}`)
+		"provides":[{"name":"wildcard-resolution","scope":"mesh","identity":false}]}`)
 	album := write("photoalbum", `{"module":"photoalbum","version":"1","requires":["s3-bucket"]}`)
 	nm := write("networkmanager", `{"module":"networkmanager","version":"1","requires":["wildcard-resolution"]}`)
 

cmd/mesh-controller/issued_test.go

@@ -182,9 +182,6 @@ func TestANeedIsIssuedToItsHolderOnlyWhereTheProviderIsMovedAndItsSoftwareIssues
 		offer := catalogue.Offer{Name: "gitea-read", Scope: catalogue.ScopeMesh}
 		if issued {
 			offer.Credential = &catalogue.OfferCredential{IssuedBy: catalogue.IssuedBySoftware, Tool: "gitea_agent_token"}
-		} else {
-			// A login of each consumer's own, said: an offer naming no form has no credential (mesh-sdk 6b8c694).
-			offer.Credential = &catalogue.OfferCredential{Form: catalogue.CredentialFormPair}
 		}
 		return catalogue.Manifest{Module: "gitea", Version: "1", Moved: moved, Provides: []catalogue.Offer{offer}}
 	}
@@ -219,10 +216,8 @@ func TestANeedIsIssuedToItsHolderOnlyWhereTheProviderIsMovedAndItsSoftwareIssues
 // marked moved; another module is not.
 func TestTheModuleHoldingTheVaultSeatCountsAsMovedForItsConsumers(t *testing.T) {
 	vault := catalogue.Manifest{Module: "mesh-vault", Version: "1", Claims: []catalogue.Claim{{Name: "mesh-vault", Scope: catalogue.ScopeMesh}},
-		Provides: []catalogue.Offer{{Name: "secret", Scope: catalogue.ScopeMesh,
-			Credential: &catalogue.OfferCredential{Form: catalogue.CredentialFormPair}}}}
-	other := catalogue.Manifest{Module: "mesh-vault", Version: "1", Provides: []catalogue.Offer{{Name: "secret", Scope: catalogue.ScopeMesh,
-		Credential: &catalogue.OfferCredential{Form: catalogue.CredentialFormPair}}}}
+		Provides: []catalogue.Offer{{Name: "secret", Scope: catalogue.ScopeMesh}}}
+	other := catalogue.Manifest{Module: "mesh-vault", Version: "1", Provides: []catalogue.Offer{{Name: "secret", Scope: catalogue.ScopeMesh}}}
 	if got := needOf(t, map[string]catalogue.Manifest{"mesh-vault": vault}, "mesh-vault", "gitea", "secret"); !got.IssuedToHolder || !got.ProviderMoved {
 		t.Errorf("the vault's consumer is not answered by a moved provider: %+v", got)
 	}

cmd/mesh-controller/lease_integration_test.go

@@ -89,28 +89,15 @@ func TestTwoControllersOneActs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("B, waiting, may act: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// A is stopped, as its service manager stops a controller being replaced (novox/hq issue 906): the stop
-	// alone gives the lease back, before anything else of A is taken down, and B takes it within a second, at
-	// a higher epoch — no wait for the key's age, and no condition said.
+	// A hands over, as a controller being replaced does: B takes the lease at once, at a higher epoch.
 	stopA()
-	stopped := time.Now()
+	a.release()
 	var lostB <-chan struct{}
 	select {
 	case lostB = <-tookB:
 	case <-time.After(10 * time.Second):
 		t.Fatal("B did not take the lease A gave back")
 	}
-	if waited := time.Since(stopped); waited > time.Second {
-		t.Fatalf("B took the lease %s after A was stopped: the stop did not give it back first", waited)
-	}
-	a.release() // what serve's own end does after: waits for the release under way, gives nothing twice
-	conditionsOfB := conditions.NewInMemory()
-	keeperOfB := conditions.NewKeeper(ctx, conditions.Options{Store: conditionsOfB, History: conditionsOfB})
-	b.watchTakeovers(ctx, inv, keeperOfB)
-	keeperOfB.Close(ctx)
-	if said, err := conditionsOfB.Since(ctx, stopped.Add(-time.Minute)); err != nil || len(said) != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("a lease given back is said as a condition: %+v, %v", said, err)
-	}
 	select {
 	case <-lostA:
 	default:

cmd/mesh-controller/nodes.go

@@ -133,14 +133,9 @@ func nodeCommand(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 		// refuse (novox/hq issue 358). Read-only on the node and here, so a verb may run it too.
 		return nodeJudgeDirectories(ctx, open, args[1:])
 
-	case "placement-export":
-		// Each node's placement as the catalogue's placement file says it (novox/hq ADR 0555 §6): read-only, so a verb
-		// may run it.
-		return placementExport(ctx, open, args[1:])
-
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("node has no %q; it has add, list, show, public-domain, account, agent-account, hand-over, "+
-			"setuid-search, judge-directories and placement-export", args[0])
+			"setuid-search and judge-directories", args[0])
 	}
 }
 

cmd/mesh-controller/placement_export.go

@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"sort"
-
-	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/compose/frombus"
-	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
-)
-
-// placementExport prints each node's placement as the catalogue's placement file says it (novox/hq ADR 0555 §6, issue
-// 1126): what a person decided of the node and where its modules run, read by this controller's own code from its own
-// store, as JSON keyed by node. The one verb the controller gains for its exit (the operator, 2026-10-26 19:06:40, ADR
-// 0547 §1's one exception besides §5's grant): read once by the seed of the placement files, whose pull request merges
-// only when its composition check composes every node equal to what it runs. It reads the same Input every composition
-// of this controller reads (readMeshAndNodes, readSettings) and writes nothing.
-//
-// It moves a piece of the research "The controller, NATS-native": the controller's last node data (node rows, placement,
-// ports, pins, bindings, config placement) leaves it for the catalogue, before its exit at ADR 0547's third milestone.
-func placementExport(ctx context.Context, open *stores, args []string) error {
-	if len(args) > 1 {
-		return errors.New("node placement-export [<name>]")
-	}
-	in, _, err := readMeshAndNodes(ctx, open)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if _, err := readSettings(ctx, open, &in); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	var names []string
-	if len(args) == 1 {
-		names = []string{args[0]}
-	} else {
-		for _, n := range in.Nodes {
-			names = append(names, n.Name)
-		}
-		sort.Strings(names)
-	}
-	out := make(map[string]delivery.Placement, len(names))
-	for _, name := range names {
-		p, err := frombus.Export(in, name)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		out[name] = p
-	}
-	return printJSON(out)
-}

cmd/mesh-controller/placement_export_integration_test.go

@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-//go:build integration
-
-package main
-
-import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"strings"
-	"testing"
-
-	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/compose/frombus"
-	sdkdelivery "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
-	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/overlay"
-)
-
-// Issue 1126 (novox/hq ADR 0555 §6, the operator's one export verb of 2026-10-26 19:06:40): `node placement-export`
-// answers, from the real store, each node's placement as the catalogue's placement file says it: what a person decided
-// of the node (its endpoint, site, hub and address on the private network) and its modules in the order the composition
-// reads them, exactly frombus.Export of the input this controller composes from; one node when named; a node the store
-// lacks is refused. Checked within TestTheControlPlaneIsToldWhereTheNodePutTheStoreAndTheBroker, over the same fresh
-// mesh, so the export adds no integration test of its own (the test budget).
-func placementExportIsEachNodesPlacementFromTheStore(t *testing.T, open *stores) {
-	t.Helper()
-	ctx := t.Context()
-	in, _, err := readMeshAndNodes(ctx, open)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if _, err := readSettings(ctx, open, &in); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	var all map[string]sdkdelivery.Placement
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(stdoutOf(t, func() error { return placementExport(ctx, open, nil) })), &all); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if len(all) != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("exported %d nodes, want anchor and laptop", len(all))
-	}
-	for i, name := range []string{"anchor", "laptop"} {
-		got := all[name]
-		d := got.Decided
-		if d.Endpoint != name+".example:51820" || d.Site != "here" || d.Hub != (name == "anchor") || d.Address != []string{"10.77.0.1", "10.77.0.2"}[i] {
-			t.Errorf("%s's decided facts are %+v", name, d)
-		}
-		if a := got.Assigned(); len(a) == 0 || !strings.Contains(strings.Join(a, ","), overlay.Name) {
-			t.Errorf("%s's modules are %v, want the private network among them", name, a)
-		}
-		// What it prints is the file the seed writes: at the placement file's version, read back by its reader.
-		if raw, _ := json.Marshal(got); got.V != sdkdelivery.Version {
-			t.Errorf("%s is exported at version %d: %s", name, got.V, raw)
-		} else if _, err := sdkdelivery.DecodePlacement(raw); err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("%s's export does not read as a placement file: %v", name, err)
-		}
-		want, err := frombus.Export(in, name)
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
-		if !sdkdelivery.SamePlacement(got, want) {
-			t.Errorf("%s's export differs from frombus.Export of the controller's own input:\n%+v\n%+v", name, got, want)
-		}
-	}
-	var one map[string]sdkdelivery.Placement
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(stdoutOf(t, func() error { return placementExport(ctx, open, []string{"laptop"}) })), &one); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if _, ok := one["laptop"]; !ok || len(one) != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("one node named exported %v", one)
-	}
-	if err := placementExport(ctx, open, []string{"stranger"}); err == nil {
-		t.Error("a node the store lacks was exported")
-	}
-}

cmd/mesh-controller/push.go

@@ -180,9 +180,6 @@ func serve(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	if keeper != nil {
 		defer closeConditions(keeper)
 		defer stopRunning() // on an error return, the goroutines end before the keeper closes
-		// The takeover of the lease said as it happened, raised and cleared (novox/hq issue 906).
-		theLease.watchTakeovers(ctx, inv, keeper)
-		defer theLease.watchTakeovers(ctx, nil, nil) // the keeper closes after this: nothing said into it then
 	}
 
 	// The bus's own objects, asserted on every start. **Not created once at genesis**: a stream

cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go

@@ -349,11 +349,6 @@ func (a *verbArguments) commandLine() ([]string, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		return []string{"node", "judge-directories", str("node")}, nil
-	case "placement-export":
-		if node := str("node"); node != "" {
-			return []string{"node", "placement-export", node}, nil
-		}
-		return []string{"node", "placement-export"}, nil
 	case "modules":
 		return []string{"module", "list", "--json"}, nil
 	case "seats":
@@ -1405,9 +1400,7 @@ func seatAnnouncement(handlers map[string]link.ToolHandler) micro.Info {
 // nodeReads are the `node` subcommands a verb may run: the ones that only read.
 var nodeReads = map[string]bool{"list": true, "show": true,
 	// Read-only on the node too: the engine judges its directories and changes nothing (novox/hq issue 358).
-	"judge-directories": true,
-	// Each node's placement as the catalogue's placement file says it, read from the store (novox/hq ADR 0555 §6).
-	"placement-export": true}
+	"judge-directories": true}
 
 // flagsOnly says a command line's rest names no subcommand: empty, or beginning with a flag. For a command
 // with no subcommands every word is a flag, its value or a name it reads.

cmd/mesh-controller/signals.go

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -148,10 +147,9 @@ var signalsTable = []signalRow{
 			return newestOf(f.machines, func(m machineFacts) time.Time { return m.toolsHeard })
 		}},
 	{Row: "S12", Signal: "the controller lease renewed", Emitter: "controller", Trigger: "every 5 s",
-		Bound: "15 s (the key's age); a holder that lost the lease or stopped renewing it is said once by the " +
-			"controller that took it over, raised and cleared as it takes it, and for an hour after while none " +
-			"holds it; a lease given back is never said; a lease bucket found raised again from nothing is said " +
-			"for an hour after; a controller serving without the lease, for as long as it does",
+		Bound: "15 s (the key's age); a holder that lost the lease, or stopped renewing and was taken over, and a " +
+			"lease bucket found raised again from nothing, are said for an hour after; a controller serving without " +
+			"the lease, for as long as it does",
 		Kind: "lease-lost", Severity: conditions.Urgent, Phase: 2,
 		needs: func(f *signalFacts) error { return f.leaseErr }, watch: watchLease,
 		newest: func(f *signalFacts) time.Time { return f.lease.renewed }},
@@ -646,29 +644,10 @@ func watchLease(f *signalFacts) []conditions.Observation {
 				"does not know it lost it",
 			Said: l.resetSaid})
 	}
-	// An epoch below the one this controller holds was taken over by it: said once by the takeover itself,
-	// raised and cleared (sayTakeover), not observed for an hour after (novox/hq issue 906). One that ended
-	// while this controller does not hold the lease — serving without it — is still said for the hour.
-	var ended []inventory.Epoch
-	for _, e := range l.ended {
-		if l.held && e.Epoch < l.epoch {
-			continue
-		}
-		ended = append(ended, e)
-	}
-	if o, ok := lostObservation(ended, l.epoch, f.now); ok {
-		out = append(out, o)
-	}
-	return out
-}
-
-// lostObservation is the lease-lost condition of the epochs that lost the lease or let it expire within the
-// hour, named by the newest; false when none did. An epoch given back is no loss.
-func lostObservation(ended []inventory.Epoch, acting uint64, now time.Time) (conditions.Observation, bool) {
 	var lost []string
 	newest := inventory.Epoch{}
-	for _, e := range ended {
-		if e.Ended == nil || e.How == inventory.EpochReleased || now.Sub(*e.Ended) > advisoryQuiet {
+	for _, e := range l.ended {
+		if e.Ended == nil || e.How == inventory.EpochReleased || f.now.Sub(*e.Ended) > advisoryQuiet {
 			continue
 		}
 		lost = append(lost, fmt.Sprintf("epoch %d (%s) %s at %s", e.Epoch, e.Instance, e.How,
@@ -677,95 +656,18 @@ func lostObservation(ended []inventory.Epoch, acting uint64, now time.Time) (con
 			newest = e
 		}
 	}
-	if len(lost) == 0 {
-		return conditions.Observation{}, false
-	}
-	how := "lost it: another holder wrote its key, or no renewal was made within the key's age"
-	if newest.How == inventory.EpochExpired {
-		how = "stopped renewing it without giving it back, and was taken over"
-	}
-	return conditions.Observation{Scope: conditions.ScopeCore, ID: "controller.lease", Token: "lost",
-		Kind: "lease-lost", Machine: newest.Host, Severity: conditions.Urgent, Source: "S12",
-		Summary: fmt.Sprintf("the controller of epoch %d (%s) %s; the controller of epoch %d acts now", newest.Epoch,
-			newest.Instance, how, acting),
-		Said: strings.Join(lost, "; ")}, true
-}
-
-// takeover is the condition a takeover says: the epoch just before the one taken, when it lost the lease or
-// let it expire; false when it gave it back, or none is recorded.
-func takeover(ended []inventory.Epoch, taken uint64, now time.Time) (conditions.Observation, bool) {
-	var before *inventory.Epoch
-	for i, e := range ended {
-		if e.Epoch < taken && (before == nil || e.Epoch > before.Epoch) {
-			before = &ended[i]
+	if len(lost) > 0 {
+		how := "lost it: another holder wrote its key, or no renewal was made within the key's age"
+		if newest.How == inventory.EpochExpired {
+			how = "stopped renewing it without giving it back, and was taken over"
 		}
+		out = append(out, conditions.Observation{Scope: conditions.ScopeCore, ID: "controller.lease", Token: "lost",
+			Kind: "lease-lost", Machine: newest.Host, Severity: conditions.Urgent,
+			Summary: fmt.Sprintf("the controller of epoch %d (%s) %s; the controller of epoch %d acts now", newest.Epoch,
+				newest.Instance, how, l.epoch),
+			Said: strings.Join(lost, "; ")})
 	}
-	if before == nil {
-		return conditions.Observation{}, false
-	}
-	return lostObservation([]inventory.Epoch{*before}, taken, now)
-}
-
-// sayTakeover is the takeover said as an event (novox/hq issue 906): when the controller before this one lost
-// the lease or let it expire, the lease-lost condition is raised and cleared at once by this controller, which
-// holds the lease — the operator reads that it happened and that it is over, not an urgent alarm for an hour.
-// A lease given back says nothing. Said once the condition store is open; a take before that is said then.
-func (a *actor) sayTakeover(ctx context.Context, epoch uint64) {
-	a.mu.Lock()
-	keeper, inv := a.keeper, a.inv
-	a.mu.Unlock()
-	if keeper == nil || inv == nil || epoch == 0 {
-		return
-	}
-	now := time.Now()
-	reading, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 10*time.Second)
-	defer cancel()
-	ended, err := inv.EpochsSince(reading, now.Add(-advisoryQuiet))
-	if err != nil {
-		// Failure is loud: S12 no longer observes an epoch below the one held, so an unread takeover is said as
-		// one that was not a handover — raised, and left for S12 to clear (ADR 0558 §3).
-		fmt.Printf("how the epoch before %d ended cannot be read, so its takeover is said as an expiry: %v\n", epoch, err)
-		o := conditions.Observation{Scope: conditions.ScopeCore, ID: "controller.lease", Token: "lost",
-			Kind: "lease-lost", Severity: conditions.Urgent, Source: "S12",
-			Summary: fmt.Sprintf("the controller of epoch %d took the lease, and how the controller before it ended "+
-				"cannot be read: it is said as one that stopped renewing without giving it back", epoch),
-			Said: err.Error()}
-		if _, err := keeper.Observe(reading, o); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("the takeover at epoch %d could not be said: %v\n", epoch, err)
-		}
-		return
-	}
-	sayTakeoverOf(reading, keeper, ended, epoch, now)
-}
-
-// sayTakeoverOf raises and clears the takeover's condition over the epochs read.
-func sayTakeoverOf(ctx context.Context, keeper *conditions.Keeper, ended []inventory.Epoch, epoch uint64, now time.Time) {
-	o, ok := takeover(ended, epoch, now)
-	if !ok {
-		return
-	}
-	if _, err := keeper.Observe(ctx, o); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("the takeover at epoch %d could not be said: %v\n", epoch, err)
-		return
-	}
-	if _, err := keeper.Clear(ctx, o.Key(), fmt.Sprintf("taken over: the controller of epoch %d holds the lease", epoch)); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("the takeover at epoch %d was said and could not be cleared: %v\n", epoch, err)
-	}
-}
-
-// watchTakeovers gives the serving controller's condition store to the lease, and says the takeover of the
-// epoch it holds, if it took one over before the store opened.
-func (a *actor) watchTakeovers(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory, keeper *conditions.Keeper) {
-	a.mu.Lock()
-	a.keeper, a.inv = keeper, inv
-	held := a.held
-	a.mu.Unlock()
-	if held == nil {
-		return
-	}
-	if epoch, err := held.Epoch(); err == nil {
-		a.sayTakeover(ctx, epoch)
-	}
+	return out
 }
 
 // handActsWithin is how far back a repeated cause counts (S15).

cmd/mesh-controller/signals_test.go

@@ -491,41 +491,13 @@ func TestAStaleWriterIsNamedByItsEpoch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// **The lease lost is said for an hour while nobody took it over, a takeover is said once as it happens —
-// raised and cleared by the controller that took it — a lease given back is never said, and serving without
-// it for as long as it lasts** (S12, novox/hq issue 906).
+// **The lease lost is said for an hour, and serving without it for as long as it lasts** (S12).
 func TestALeaseLostOrMissingIsSaid(t *testing.T) {
 	now := time.Now()
 	f := calm(now)
 	expired := now.Add(-59 * time.Minute)
 	f.lease.ended = []inventory.Epoch{{Epoch: 41, Instance: "controller@anchor pid 7", Host: "anchor",
 		Ended: &expired, How: inventory.EpochExpired}}
-	// Held at epoch 57, above it: the takeover said it, and no hour of observation follows.
-	if got := watchLease(f); len(got) != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("an epoch this controller took over is observed after the takeover: %+v", got)
-	}
-	store := conditions.NewInMemory()
-	k := conditions.NewKeeper(t.Context(), conditions.Options{Store: store, History: store, Now: func() time.Time { return now }})
-	sayTakeoverOf(t.Context(), k, f.lease.ended, 57, now)
-	if open, err := k.Open(t.Context()); err != nil || len(open) != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("the takeover is left open: %+v, %v", open, err)
-	}
-	k.Close(t.Context()) // its transitions written to the history
-	history, err := store.Since(t.Context(), now.Add(-time.Minute))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	var changes []string
-	for _, e := range history {
-		if e.Key == "core.controller.lease.lost" {
-			changes = append(changes, e.Change)
-		}
-	}
-	if !slices.Equal(changes, []string{"raised", "cleared"}) {
-		t.Fatalf("the takeover of an expired lease is not raised and cleared: %v", changes)
-	}
-	// Not holding the lease, the loss is said for the hour.
-	f.lease.held = false
 	got := watchLease(f)
 	if len(got) != 1 || got[0].Key() != "core.controller.lease.lost" || !strings.Contains(got[0].Summary, "epoch 41") ||
 		got[0].Severity != conditions.Urgent {
@@ -540,9 +512,6 @@ func TestALeaseLostOrMissingIsSaid(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := watchLease(f); len(got) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("a lease given back is said as lost: %+v", got)
 	}
-	if _, said := takeover(f.lease.ended, 57, now); said {
-		t.Fatal("the takeover of a lease given back is said")
-	}
 	f.lease = leaseFacts{held: true, epoch: 501, renewed: now, reset: now.Add(-time.Minute), resetSaid: "moved past 500"}
 	if got := watchLease(f); len(got) != 1 || got[0].Key() != "core.controller.lease.reset" {
 		t.Fatalf("a lease bucket raised again from nothing was not said: %+v", got)

go.mod

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module github.com/novox/mesh-controller
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261030001116-2da0de75c3f0
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024234636-10b6e202320f
 	github.com/jackc/pgx/v5 v5.10.0
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.11.17
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0

go.sum

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 git.novox.be/novox/mesh-host v0.0.0-20261018171808-9d9e3a46c4f5 h1:E5stfIeCN6uYgA9TCv+4K8JgaURg3zQppvUgJLaDMP4=
 git.novox.be/novox/mesh-host v0.0.0-20261018171808-9d9e3a46c4f5/go.mod h1:4wyoCr6IIIIarEUuROThWDj7DAvJvIidqMjWcpSnOwE=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261030001116-2da0de75c3f0 h1:lKU3HjNXGiVbLW2hUgFjU/TMTUYMlNnnmZxG5T7biQA=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261030001116-2da0de75c3f0/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024234636-10b6e202320f h1:lUEyNPPF3w4Q0LIgcUUD6ofkKVhCF0n7dVjMoixQmXo=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024234636-10b6e202320f/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op h1:Z/MZK75wC/NSrkgqeNIa7jexam9uWzhLmFTSCPI/kn0=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op/go.mod h1:FQyySiasQQM8735Ddel3MRojmy4dA1IqCeyJ5jmPMbI=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=

internal/broker/consumer_from_now_test.go

@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ func TestAConsumerMadeFromNowNeverReplaysTheStreamsHistory(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("a consumer made from now holds %d of the stream's past (policy %v)", info.NumPending, info.Config.DeliverPolicy)
 	}
 	_, _ = js.js.Publish("history.merged", []byte("new"))
-	if got := pendingOf(js, stream, "fresh", 1); got != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("a new announcement is not pending: %d", got)
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	if info, _ = js.js.ConsumerInfo(stream, "fresh"); info.NumPending != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("a new announcement is not pending: %d", info.NumPending)
 	}
 	// Asserted again, it keeps where it is.
 	if err := js.EnsureConsumer(fresh); err != nil {
@@ -60,8 +61,8 @@ func TestAConsumerMadeFromNowNeverReplaysTheStreamsHistory(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := js.EnsureConsumer(old); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if got := pendingOf(js, stream, "old", 6); got != 6 {
-		t.Fatalf("the default should replay all six: %d", got)
+	if info, _ = js.js.ConsumerInfo(stream, "old"); info.NumPending != 6 {
+		t.Fatalf("the default should replay all six: %d", info.NumPending)
 	}
 	before, after, err := js.ResetConsumer(stream, "old")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -88,13 +89,10 @@ func TestAConsumerMadeFromNowNeverReplaysTheStreamsHistory(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// pendingOf polls a consumer's pending count until it is want or ten seconds have passed, and returns what it saw
-// last. The server counts a consumer's pending after it acknowledges the publish, not before, so a test that reads
-// the count at once fails on a loaded build node (a try of main on ace, 2026-10-26): every test that expects a
-// count after a publish reads it through here.
+// pendingOf polls a consumer's pending count until it is want or a second has passed, and returns what it saw last.
 func pendingOf(js *JetStream, stream, name string, want uint64) uint64 {
 	var got uint64
-	for deadline := time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second); ; time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond) {
+	for deadline := time.Now().Add(time.Second); ; time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond) {
 		if info, err := js.js.ConsumerInfo(stream, name); err == nil {
 			got = info.NumPending
 		}

internal/broker/controller_buckets_integration_test.go

@@ -73,15 +73,15 @@ func TestAResetOfTheEventsConsumerLeavesTheMergesAndTheirConsumerAlone(t *testin
 	if _, err := js.Context().Publish(ControllerFollows[0], []byte(`{}`)); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if got := pendingOf(js, EventsStream, MergesConsumerName, 1); got != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("the merges consumer holds %d pending; want the merge", got)
+	merges, err := js.Context().ConsumerInfo(EventsStream, MergesConsumerName)
+	if err != nil || merges.NumPending != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the merges consumer holds %v (%v); want the merge", merges, err)
 	}
 	if _, _, err := js.ResetConsumer(EventsStream, ControllerName); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	pending := pendingOf(js, EventsStream, MergesConsumerName, 1)
-	merges, err := js.Context().ConsumerInfo(EventsStream, MergesConsumerName)
-	if err != nil || pending != 1 || merges.Delivered.Stream != 0 {
+	merges, err = js.Context().ConsumerInfo(EventsStream, MergesConsumerName)
+	if err != nil || merges.NumPending != 1 || merges.Delivered.Stream != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("after the reset the merges consumer holds %+v (%v); want its merge left alone", merges, err)
 	}
 }
@@ -107,8 +107,9 @@ func TestAMergeTheOldConsumerHadNotAcknowledgedIsTheMergesConsumers(t *testing.T
 	if err := AssertMeshConsumers(js); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if got := pendingOf(js, EventsStream, MergesConsumerName, 1); got != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("the merges consumer holds %d pending; want the merge the old consumer never acknowledged", got)
+	merges, err := js.Context().ConsumerInfo(EventsStream, MergesConsumerName)
+	if err != nil || merges.NumPending != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the merges consumer holds %v (%v); want the merge the old consumer never acknowledged", merges, err)
 	}
 }
 

internal/broker/modstreams_live_test.go

@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ func TestAModuleStreamOnARealBus(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("publishing %s's mail: %v", account, err)
 		}
 	}
-	if got := pendingOf(js, "MAIL", c.Name, 1); got != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("the reader granted `mesh` has %d pending, want 1", got)
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+	if info, _ := js.js.ConsumerInfo("MAIL", c.Name); info.NumPending != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the reader granted `mesh` has %d pending, want 1", info.NumPending)
 	}
 	narrowed := c
 	narrowed.Filters = []string{"mesh.stream.mesh-mail.event.mail.mesh.message.changed"}

internal/broker/seattraffic.go

@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ import (
 //     subjects cover it, so what travels there — a code typed by the operator — is never persisted. A kinded
 //     holder asks with its own kind; the modules that watch the seat answer.
 //
-// And two reads: **a holder's records**, a bucket the seat names, read by each user under its own name only
-// (`$KV.<bucket>.<module>.>`), so an asker reads the state of its own asks and no other asker's; and on a seat pulled by
-// kind, **what its workers gave up on**, the copies DEAD_LETTERS keeps of the seat's stream (DeadLetterReads, issue 734).
+// And one read: **a holder's records**, a bucket the seat names, read by each user under its own name only
+// (`$KV.<bucket>.<module>.>`), so an asker reads the state of its own asks and no other asker's.
 
 // BuildAskMaxDeliver bounds the deliveries of a build seat's ask (issue 1907): mesh-sdk delivery.AskMaxDeliver, written
 // here as the broker mirrors the catalogue rather than importing it.
@@ -130,9 +129,6 @@ func SeatTrafficOf(module string, holds, uses, watches []Seat) SeatTraffic {
 			}
 			t.Records = append(t.Records, "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.KV_"+b+".$KV."+b+"."+module+".>")
 		}
-		if s.PulledByKind && len(s.Accepts) > 0 && safeSubject.MatchString(s.Name) {
-			t.Records = append(t.Records, DeadLetterReads(seatStreamName(s.Name))...)
-		}
 	}
 	for _, w := range watches {
 		if w.Kinded {
@@ -155,20 +151,6 @@ func SeatTrafficOf(module string, holds, uses, watches []Seat) SeatTraffic {
 	return t
 }
 
-// DeadLetterReads is what a user of a seat pulled by kind is granted to hear which of the asks it put the seat's workers
-// gave up on (novox/hq issue 734): an ordered consumer on DEAD_LETTERS filtered to the copies the controller keeps of that
-// seat's stream (DeadLetterSubject(stream, *)), pulled, and its deletion. A copy carries the ask's own message id
-// (Mesh-Dead-Msg-Id), so the asker ends the step it waits for instead of waiting for ever; it reads the seat's dead
-// letters and no other stream's, and changes none.
-func DeadLetterReads(stream string) []string {
-	return []string{
-		"$JS.API.STREAM.INFO." + DeadLettersStream,
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE." + DeadLettersStream + ".*." + DeadLetterSubject(stream, ">"),
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.MSG.NEXT." + DeadLettersStream + ".*",
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.DELETE." + DeadLettersStream + ".*",
-	}
-}
-
 // seatTrafficGrants is the bus permissions seat traffic needs: the subjects themselves, and the JetStream API a
 // worker is pulled and acknowledged through and a record is read through.
 func seatTrafficGrants(t SeatTraffic) (pub, sub []string) {

internal/broker/seattraffic_test.go

@@ -403,19 +403,6 @@ func TestTheBuilderMayAskABuildSeatAndASessionMayNot(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("the builder may not publish %s", s)
 		}
 	}
-	// Issue 734: the asker hears which of its asks the seat's workers gave up on, from DEAD_LETTERS, and no other stream's.
-	for subject, want := range map[string]bool{
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE.DEAD_LETTERS.x1.mesh.events.dead.SEAT_NODE_BUILD_GO.>": true,
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.DELETE.DEAD_LETTERS.x1":                                       true,
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.MSG.NEXT.DEAD_LETTERS.x1":                                     true,
-		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE.DEAD_LETTERS.x1.mesh.events.dead.EVENTS.>":             false,
-		"$JS.API.STREAM.PURGE.DEAD_LETTERS":                                             false,
-		"$JS.FC.DEAD_LETTERS.x1":                                                        false,
-	} {
-		if got := allowed(builder.Publish, subject); got != want {
-			t.Errorf("the builder may publish %s: %v, want %v", subject, got, want)
-		}
-	}
 	session := perms(t, Principal{Kind: KindPerson, Module: "jochen", Invokes: []string{"mesh-controller.status"}})
 	if allowed(session.Publish, "mesh.seat.node-build-go.accept.delivery") {
 		t.Error("a session's account may put an ask")

internal/inventory/order.go

@@ -67,23 +67,14 @@ func (i *Inventory) HighestEpoch(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 }
 
 // TookEpoch records an epoch taken, and ends every earlier one still open as found expired: the lease
-// was free to take, so whoever held it last neither holds it nor said it let go. givenBack is the epoch the
-// bus says gave the key back (the lease's own delete marker names it, novox/hq issue 906, ADR 0558 §3): that
-// epoch, if still open, is ended as released — its holder gave the key back and had not yet recorded it — and
-// every other as expired; zero is none. Answers the epochs it ended as expired, newest first.
-func (i *Inventory) TookEpoch(ctx context.Context, e Epoch, givenBack uint64) ([]Epoch, error) {
+// was free to take, so whoever held it last neither holds it nor said it let go. Answers the epochs it
+// ended that way, newest first.
+func (i *Inventory) TookEpoch(ctx context.Context, e Epoch) ([]Epoch, error) {
 	tx, err := i.store.Pool().Begin(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
-	if givenBack != 0 && givenBack < e.Epoch {
-		if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-			`update controller_epoch set ended = now(), how = $2 where epoch = $1 and ended is null`,
-			int64(givenBack), EpochReleased); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	}
 	rows, err := tx.Query(ctx,
 		`update controller_epoch set ended = now(), how = $2
 		  where ended is null and epoch < $1

internal/lease/lease.go

@@ -34,11 +34,9 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"strconv"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go/jetstream"
 )
 
@@ -117,7 +115,6 @@ type Options struct {
 // Lease is one instance's hold, or its wait for one.
 type Lease struct {
 	kv     jetstream.KeyValue
-	js     jetstream.JetStream
 	stream jetstream.Stream
 	ttl    time.Duration
 	o      Options
@@ -142,9 +139,6 @@ type Lease struct {
 	lostWhy      error
 	lost         chan struct{}
 	taken        time.Time
-	// givenBack is the epoch whose holder gave back the key this instance took — the epoch its delete marker
-	// names on the bus — and zero when the key was left to expire, or freed by anything else (novox/hq issue 906).
-	givenBack uint64
 	// update writes the key at a revision: the bucket's own, or a test's bus that does not answer.
 	update func(ctx context.Context, key string, value []byte, last uint64) (uint64, error)
 }
@@ -190,7 +184,7 @@ func Open(ctx context.Context, js jetstream.JetStream, bucket string, o Options)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("a lease renewed every %s with a margin of %s does not fit a key that lives %s",
 			o.RenewEvery, o.Margin, status.TTL())
 	}
-	return &Lease{kv: kv, js: js, stream: stream, ttl: status.TTL(), o: o, lost: make(chan struct{}), update: kv.Update}, nil
+	return &Lease{kv: kv, stream: stream, ttl: status.TTL(), o: o, lost: make(chan struct{}), update: kv.Update}, nil
 }
 
 // TTL is how long the key lives unrenewed.
@@ -277,7 +271,6 @@ func (l *Lease) TryTake(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 	} else if found {
 		return 0, &heldBy{h}
 	}
-	givenBack := l.wasGivenBack(ctx)
 	if err := l.aboveTheFloor(ctx); err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
@@ -314,51 +307,13 @@ func (l *Lease) TryTake(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 			"back to be taken again", revision, floor)
 	}
 	l.mu.Lock()
-	l.held, l.epoch, l.revision, l.taken, l.givenBack = true, revision, revision, now, givenBack
+	l.held, l.epoch, l.revision, l.taken = true, revision, revision, now
 	l.renewedAt(anchor)
 	l.mu.Unlock()
 	l.o.Say("took the controller lease at epoch %d (%s)", revision, h.Instance)
 	return revision, nil
 }
 
-// ReleasedHeader is the header of the delete marker a holder's Release writes, naming the epoch it gave back:
-// the one mark that says a handover. A delete marker without it — a command's own lease given back, a take
-// given back over the floor — names no epoch, so it says nothing about the holder before (novox/hq issue 906).
-const ReleasedHeader = "Mesh-Lease-Released"
-
-// wasGivenBack is the epoch the free key was given back by: the epoch its last message on the bus — the delete
-// marker a holder's Release writes — names. Zero when the key expired (the bucket's age removed every message),
-// when the marker names no epoch, and when it cannot be read: a takeover nobody can prove was a handover is
-// said as one that was not (novox/hq issue 906, ADR 0558 §3).
-func (l *Lease) wasGivenBack(ctx context.Context) uint64 {
-	if l.stream == nil {
-		return 0
-	}
-	last, err := l.stream.GetLastMsgForSubject(ctx, l.subject())
-	if err != nil || last == nil {
-		return 0
-	}
-	if op := last.Header.Get("KV-Operation"); op != "DEL" && op != "PURGE" {
-		return 0
-	}
-	epoch, err := strconv.ParseUint(last.Header.Get(ReleasedHeader), 10, 64)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0
-	}
-	return epoch
-}
-
-// subject is the lease key's subject in its bucket's stream.
-func (l *Lease) subject() string { return "$KV." + l.kv.Bucket() + "." + Key }
-
-// GivenBack is the epoch whose holder gave back the key this instance took, zero when it was not given back:
-// what the takeover was, read from the bus (novox/hq issue 906).
-func (l *Lease) GivenBack() uint64 {
-	l.mu.Lock()
-	defer l.mu.Unlock()
-	return l.givenBack
-}
-
 // floor is the highest epoch issued, zero without a floor.
 func (l *Lease) floor(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 	if l.o.Floor == nil {
@@ -633,11 +588,9 @@ func (l *Lease) lose(why error) error {
 	return l.lostWhy
 }
 
-// Release gives the lease back, so the next candidate takes it at once rather than after its age, and answers
-// the epoch it gave back — zero when it gave nothing back: it held none, had lost it, or the bus would not
-// delete the key. Only the key this instance last wrote is deleted: one that moved is somebody else's. The
-// gate closes before the key goes, so nothing this instance starts after overlaps its successor.
-func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) uint64 {
+// Release gives the lease back, so the next candidate takes it at once rather than after its age.
+// Only the key this instance last wrote is deleted: one that moved is somebody else's.
+func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) {
 	l.mu.Lock()
 	held, revision, epoch := l.held && l.lostWhy == nil, l.revision, l.epoch
 	l.held = false
@@ -647,11 +600,11 @@ func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) uint64 {
 	}
 	l.mu.Unlock()
 	if !held {
-		return 0
+		return
 	}
 	releasing, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.WithoutCancel(ctx), 5*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
-	err := l.giveBack(releasing, epoch, revision)
+	err := l.kv.Delete(releasing, Key, jetstream.LastRevision(revision))
 	if err != nil && isWrongLast(err) {
 		// A renewal was in flight as this began and landed first: the key moved, and is still this
 		// instance's if it still names it at this epoch. Deleted at the revision it has now.
@@ -659,29 +612,14 @@ func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) uint64 {
 			var h Holder
 			if json.Unmarshal(entry.Value(), &h) == nil && h.Instance == l.o.Holder.Instance &&
 				(h.Epoch == epoch || h.Epoch == 0 && entry.Revision() == epoch) {
-				err = l.giveBack(releasing, epoch, entry.Revision())
+				err = l.kv.Delete(releasing, Key, jetstream.LastRevision(entry.Revision()))
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		l.o.Say("the controller lease (epoch %d) could not be given back, so the next controller waits for "+
 			"it to expire: %v", epoch, err)
-		return 0
+		return
 	}
 	l.o.Say("gave the controller lease back (epoch %d)", epoch)
-	return epoch
-}
-
-// giveBack deletes the key at the revision this instance last wrote, as the bucket's own delete does — a
-// marker with KV-Operation DEL, compare-and-set on the key's last revision — and names the epoch given back in
-// the marker, so the next holder can tell this handover from any other delete (ReleasedHeader).
-func (l *Lease) giveBack(ctx context.Context, epoch, revision uint64) error {
-	if l.js == nil {
-		return l.kv.Delete(ctx, Key, jetstream.LastRevision(revision))
-	}
-	msg := nats.NewMsg(l.subject())
-	msg.Header.Set("KV-Operation", "DEL")
-	msg.Header.Set(ReleasedHeader, strconv.FormatUint(epoch, 10))
-	_, err := l.js.PublishMsg(ctx, msg, jetstream.WithExpectLastSequencePerSubject(revision))
-	return err
 }

internal/lease/lease_test.go

@@ -133,12 +133,7 @@ func TestTheSecondControllerWaitsAndTakesAHigherEpochOnHandover(t *testing.T) {
 	// a gives it back: b takes it at once, not after the key's age, at a higher epoch.
 	stop()
 	handedOver := time.Now()
-	if given := a.Release(t.Context()); given != epochA {
-		t.Fatalf("a's release answers epoch %d given back, want %d", given, epochA)
-	}
-	if again := a.Release(t.Context()); again != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("a second release gives epoch %d back again", again)
-	}
+	a.Release(t.Context())
 	select {
 	case epochB := <-took:
 		if epochB <= epochA {
@@ -147,9 +142,6 @@ func TestTheSecondControllerWaitsAndTakesAHigherEpochOnHandover(t *testing.T) {
 		if waited := time.Since(handedOver); waited > testTTL {
 			t.Fatalf("b took the lease %s after a gave it back: it waited out the key's age", waited)
 		}
-		if given := b.GivenBack(); given != epochA {
-			t.Fatalf("b reads from the bus that epoch %d gave the key back, want a's %d (novox/hq issue 906)", given, epochA)
-		}
 	case <-time.After(2 * testTTL):
 		t.Fatal("b never took the lease a gave back")
 	}
@@ -190,9 +182,6 @@ func TestAHolderThatStopsRenewingStopsActingBeforeItIsTakenOver(t *testing.T) {
 		if epochB <= epochA {
 			t.Fatalf("b took epoch %d after a's %d", epochB, epochA)
 		}
-		if given := b.GivenBack(); given != 0 {
-			t.Fatalf("b reads a key that expired as given back by epoch %d (novox/hq issue 906)", given)
-		}
 		// And a, the moment it tries to renew, knows it lost: the key moved.
 		if err := a.Renew(t.Context()); err == nil {
 			t.Fatal("a renewed a lease b holds")
@@ -237,11 +226,8 @@ func TestARenewalRefusedIsALossAtOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := a.Epoch(); !errors.Is(err, ErrNotHeld) {
 		t.Fatalf("a acts after its renewal was refused: %v", err)
 	}
-	// And giving back a lease it lost deletes nothing of the one who holds it now, and answers no epoch given
-	// back, so none is recorded released (novox/hq issue 906).
-	if given := a.Release(t.Context()); given != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("a says it gave back epoch %d of a lease it lost", given)
-	}
+	// And giving back a lease it lost deletes nothing of the one who holds it now.
+	a.Release(t.Context())
 	if h, found, err := Current(t.Context(), kv); err != nil || !found || h.Instance != "intruder" {
 		t.Fatalf("after a gave back what it lost, the key holds %+v (%v, %v)", h, found, err)
 	}

module.json

@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@
     "dead-letters",
     "root-free",
     "judge-directories",
-    "placement-export",
     "data",
     "build",
     "artifacts",

testdata/beside/CAPTURED

@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ The copy carries the catalogue's private details: domains, first names in module
 private addresses. That is acceptable while mesh-controller is private; if it ever goes public, this copy is
 a second place to clean besides the catalogue itself.
 
-mesh-catalog  8ae8e88dddc86c646de4d1be35919d109ab4c779  modules/*/module.json, modules/*/files, modules/*/templates, predefined.json
+mesh-catalog  3a1017f5594217092a654dd1e2d72226766bc16a  modules/*/module.json, modules/*/files, modules/*/templates, predefined.json
 mesh-host     9d9e3a46c4f5943cfffb413d962ce48b75e2fd39  examples/foundation-first-node.lock
-mesh-sdk      2da0de75c3f0087cff9c2f5ef789ca6dc3c59045  conformance/events/module-event.json
+mesh-sdk      10b6e202320f38301c67a6822b0734e0b870ea30  conformance/events/module-event.json
 
 To move them, from this repository's root, with the two repositories checked out beside it:
 

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/artifact-store-tools/files/store-address

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-${seat:mesh-artifact-store:reach}

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/artifact-store-tools/module.json.captured

@@ -1,52 +1,26 @@
 {
   "module": "artifact-store-tools",
   "version": "1",
-  "claims": [
-    {
-      "name": "mesh-artifact-sweep",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "serves": [
-        "artifacts",
-        "held",
-        "collect",
-        "mirrors",
-        "images"
-      ]
-    }
-  ],
-  "requires": [
-    "artifact-store"
-  ],
   "invokes": [
-    "seat:mesh-hand-acts.hand-act",
+    "seat:mesh-controller.artifacts",
+    "seat:mesh-controller.collect",
     "mesh-catalog.catalog_modules",
     "mesh-catalog.catalog_module"
   ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.wants",
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.builds",
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.build-log",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests",
-    "node-engine.have",
-    "mesh-controller.lease"
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    "findings"
-  ],
   "tools": [
     "artifact_store_repositories",
     "artifact_store_usage",
     "artifact_store_references",
     "artifact_store_collect"
   ],
-  "config": {
-    "older-store-names": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "description": "The names the artifact store had before, as host names or host:port separated by spaces, or none when it had no other. artifact_store_references reads every definition under these as well as under the store's current name, so an image a definition pins under one is said to be named by a definition (novox/hq issue 323).",
-      "pattern": "none|[A-Za-z0-9.:-]+( [A-Za-z0-9.:-]+)*",
-      "default": "none"
-    }
-  },
+    "config": {
+      "older-store-names": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "description": "The names the artifact store had before, as host names or host:port separated by spaces, or none when it had no other. artifact_store_references reads every definition under these as well as under the store's current name, so an image a definition pins under one is said to be named by a definition (novox/hq issue 323).",
+        "pattern": "none|[A-Za-z0-9.:-]+( [A-Za-z0-9.:-]+)*",
+        "default": "none"
+      }
+    },
   "resources": [
     {
       "id": "state",
@@ -62,14 +36,6 @@
       "mode": "0600",
       "trusted": false,
       "template": "files/store-names"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "store-address",
-      "type": "file",
-      "path": "${dir:state}/store-address",
-      "mode": "0600",
-      "trusted": false,
-      "template": "files/store-address"
     }
   ],
   "build": {
@@ -86,8 +52,7 @@
         ],
         "env": {
           "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_CONTAINER": "mesh-registry",
-          "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_NAMES_FILE": "${dir:state}/store-names",
-          "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_ADDRESS_FILE": "${dir:state}/store-address"
+          "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_NAMES_FILE": "${dir:state}/store-names"
         }
       },
       {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/buildah/module.json.captured

@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "rootless-image-build",
-      "reach": "machine",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "reach": "machine"
     }
   ],
   "resources": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/disk-load/module.json.captured

@@ -7,9 +7,7 @@
     "disk_filesystems",
     "disk_folders",
     "disk_devices",
-    "cpu_top",
-    "disk_readings",
-    "disk_measure"
+    "cpu_top"
   ],
   "build": {
     "artifacts": [
@@ -25,16 +23,5 @@
         ]
       }
     ]
-  },
-  "state": [
-    "readings"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-config.resolved",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.placement",
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.builds",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules",
-    "node-engine.have"
-  ]
+  }
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/distribution/module.json.captured

@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "artifact-store",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
   "claims": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/dnsmasq/files/mesh.conf

@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 # Written by the mesh (module dnsmasq, novox/hq issue 348). Replaced on every push.
 #
 # The resolver binds its addresses once, at start (bind-interfaces), so it starts only once this
-# machine's private address is there: a start that finds it missing fails after at most two seconds and
-# is tried again every ten seconds (Restart=on-failure, no start limit) until the tunnel has brought it.
-# It does not order itself After= or Wants= network-online.target, and its wait is short: the packaged
-# unit is Before= network-online.target and nss-lookup.target, and the tunnel is ordered after them, so
-# a long wait would hold the tunnel back and a drop-in ordering would be a cycle (issue 1126).
+# machine's private address is there: it waits up to 80 seconds for it, and a start that found it
+# missing is tried again every ten seconds rather than left failed.
 [Unit]
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
 StartLimitIntervalSec=0
 
 [Service]
-ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/sh -c 'for i in $(seq 1 2); do ip -4 -o addr show to ${machine:address} | grep -q . && exit 0; sleep 1; done; echo "${machine:address} is not on this machine" >&2; exit 1'
+ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/sh -c 'for i in $(seq 1 80); do ip -4 -o addr show to ${machine:address} | grep -q . && exit 0; sleep 1; done; echo "${machine:address} is not on this machine" >&2; exit 1'
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=10s

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/dnsmasq/module.json.captured

@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@
     {
       "name": "wildcard-resolution",
       "scope": "mesh",
-      "identity": false,
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "identity": false
     }
   ],
   "requires": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/docker/module.json.captured

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "privileged"
   ],
   "invokes": [
-    "seat:mesh-artifact-sweep.images"
+    "seat:mesh-controller.images"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/gitea/module.json.captured

@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
   ],
   "emits": [
     "repo.created",
-    "repo.writable",
     "issue.opened",
     "pull.merged",
     "pull.updated",
@@ -182,12 +181,6 @@
       "trusted": true,
       "default": {}
     },
-    "check-gates-merge": {
-      "type": "boolean",
-      "description": "Whether gitea_merge_pull_request judges mesh/check before it merges. True (the default): a head merges only on a passing mesh/check judged against the trunk's head (ADR 0447, ADR 0534 §4). False (the operator, 2026-10-25 22:56: \"run the check locally only, but not as a gate, it loses us too much time\"): a head the operator's Approve names in approved_heads merges whatever its mesh/check says (pending, failed, missing or judged on an older trunk); a head that moved, a branch no rule guards and a merge git refuses are still refused. Set together with mesh-delivery-gate's check-gates-merge.",
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": true
-    },
     "main-mergers": {
       "type": "list",
       "description": "The forge logins that may merge into main beside the tools' account, on every repository of the organisation (ADR 0534 §2): the operator's own, so the operator can always merge by hand at the forge. The tools' account is always on main's merge whitelist; no agent's account belongs here.",
@@ -323,8 +316,7 @@
       "takes-config": [
         "url",
         "keep-main-rules",
-        "main-mergers",
-        "check-gates-merge"
+        "main-mergers"
       ]
     },
     {
@@ -399,7 +391,6 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "npm-package-registry",
-      "credential": {"form": "pair"},
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "max": 40,
@@ -408,7 +399,6 @@
     },
     {
       "name": "git",
-      "credential": {"form": "none"},
       "scope": "mesh"
     },
     {
@@ -421,7 +411,6 @@
     },
     {
       "name": "forge-account",
-      "credential": {"form": "none"},
       "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
@@ -548,7 +537,6 @@
           "MESH_GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE": "${dir:state}/admin.secret",
           "MESH_GITEA_ORIGINS_FILE": "${dir:mesh-state}/origins",
           "MESH_GITEA_SSH_PORT": "222",
-          "MESH_GITEA_HOST_KEY_FILE": "${dir:data}/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub",
           "MESH_FORGE_HOST_FILE": "/etc/gitea/forge-host"
         }
       }
@@ -566,14 +554,11 @@
     "announced"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-provisioner.plans",
-    "mesh-provisioner.provisions",
+    "mesh-controller.assignments",
     "ssh-client.keys",
     "mesh-build-go.keys",
     "mesh-build-node.keys",
     "mesh-build-image.keys",
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.owed",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules",
-    "mesh-delivery-gate.source"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.owed"
   ]
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/go/module.json.captured

@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "go-toolchain",
-      "reach": "machine",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "reach": "machine"
     }
   ],
   "resources": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/influxdb/module.json.captured

@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "in": "an InfluxDB v1 authorization"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/kernel/files/modules-load.conf

@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# Written by the mesh's kernel module (systemd-modules-load reads it at boot).
-# tun: buildah's network for a RUN line (pasta) and every other user-space tunnel open /dev/net/tun.
-# Loaded at boot, so an upgrade that removes the running kernel's modules cannot keep it out later.
-tun

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/kernel/module.json.captured

@@ -100,25 +100,6 @@
       "id": "linux-lts-headers",
       "type": "package",
       "package": "linux-lts-headers"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "modules-load",
-      "type": "file",
-      "path": "/etc/modules-load.d/mesh-kernel.conf",
-      "mode": "0644",
-      "template": "files/modules-load.conf"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "modules-keep",
-      "type": "package",
-      "package": "kernel-modules-hook"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "modules-cleanup",
-      "type": "service",
-      "unit": "linux-modules-cleanup.service",
-      "state": "stopped",
-      "boot": "enabled"
     }
   ],
   "build": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/keycloak/module.json.captured

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "oidc-client",
-      "credential": {"form": "pair"},
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "max": 255,
@@ -241,7 +240,6 @@
     "bound"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-provisioner.plans",
-    "mesh-provisioner.provisions"
+    "mesh-controller.assignments"
   ]
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mailu/module.json.captured

@@ -665,14 +665,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:mesh-state}/config.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "template": "files/config.json",
-      "takes-config": [
-        "domain",
-        "proxy-address",
-        "sitename",
-        "website",
-        "url",
-        "container"
-      ],
+      "takes-config": ["domain", "proxy-address", "sitename", "website", "url", "container"],
       "merge": "json"
     },
     {
@@ -765,9 +758,6 @@
       "identity": {
         "max": 64,
         "in": "a mailbox's local part"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-build-go/files/settings.json

@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 {
-  "capacity": 0,
-  "cores-per-step": 6,
-  "build-hours": ""
+  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-build-go/module.json.captured

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   "state": [
     "toolchains",
     "keys",
-    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
+    "steps"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -20,27 +20,14 @@
     }
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.kept",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.kept"
   ],
   "config": {
     "capacity": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many asks of the Go build seat this module runs at once on this node (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); 0 pulls nothing. It is set per node in the mesh's configuration; a node with no value builds nothing.",
-      "minimum": 0,
-      "default": 0
-    },
-    "build-hours": {
       "type": "string",
-      "description": "When this node may take this module's build asks: one window HH:MM-HH:MM in the node's local time (an end before its start crosses midnight, 18:00-06:00). Outside it the node takes no new step and finishes the ones it runs; an empty value builds at any hour. It is set per node in the mesh's configuration.",
-      "pattern": "|([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]",
-      "default": ""
-    },
-    "cores-per-step": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many processors one Go step of this module needs (a full check of a large repository takes what it is given: three at about 4 cores each ran past the 30-minute step bound on 2026-10-26). The capacity above is an upper bound: on each node the module runs at most floor(the cores of its build slice's CPU quota / this) steps at once, the quota read live from its cgroup (issue 1806), so a lowered build CPU share never starves its steps. Above 0.",
-      "minimum": 0.1,
-      "default": 6
+      "description": "How many asks of the Go build seat this module runs at once on each node, as node=asks pairs separated by commas, such as shanks=3,ace=2 (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); a node set to 0 pulls nothing, a node not named runs one at a time. The control-node and the laptop build nothing.",
+      "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+(,[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+)*",
+      "default": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -51,7 +38,6 @@
     "build_go_release",
     "build_go_step",
     "build_go_steps",
-    "build_go_step_end",
     "build_go_toolchains",
     "build_go_status",
     "build_go_health"
@@ -119,7 +105,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-go",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-build-image/files/settings.json

@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 {
-  "capacity": 0,
-  "cores-per-step": 2,
-  "build-hours": ""
+  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-build-image/module.json.captured

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   ],
   "state": [
     "keys",
-    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
+    "steps"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -20,22 +20,10 @@
   ],
   "config": {
     "capacity": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many asks of the image build seat this module runs at once on this node (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); 0 pulls nothing. It is set per node in the mesh's configuration; a node with no value builds nothing.",
-      "minimum": 0,
-      "default": 0
-    },
-    "build-hours": {
       "type": "string",
-      "description": "When this node may take this module's build asks: one window HH:MM-HH:MM in the node's local time (an end before its start crosses midnight, 18:00-06:00). Outside it the node takes no new step and finishes the ones it runs; an empty value builds at any hour. It is set per node in the mesh's configuration.",
-      "pattern": "|([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]",
-      "default": ""
-    },
-    "cores-per-step": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many processors one image step of this module needs (buildah, whose RUN lines are mostly fetches). The capacity above is an upper bound: on each node the module runs at most floor(the cores of its build slice's CPU quota / this) steps at once, the quota read live from its cgroup (issue 1806), so a lowered build CPU share never starves its steps. Above 0.",
-      "minimum": 0.1,
-      "default": 2
+      "description": "How many asks of the image build seat this module runs at once on each node, as node=asks pairs separated by commas, such as shanks=3,ace=2 (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); a node set to 0 pulls nothing, a node not named runs one at a time. The control-node and the laptop build nothing.",
+      "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+(,[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+)*",
+      "default": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -45,7 +33,6 @@
     "build_image_release",
     "build_image_step",
     "build_image_steps",
-    "build_image_step_end",
     "build_image_status",
     "build_image_health"
   ],
@@ -90,7 +77,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-image",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-build-node/files/settings.json

@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 {
-  "capacity": 0,
-  "cores-per-step": 2,
-  "build-hours": ""
+  "capacity": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-build-node/module.json.captured

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   "state": [
     "toolchains",
     "keys",
-    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
+    "steps"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -21,22 +21,10 @@
   ],
   "config": {
     "capacity": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many asks of the Node build seat this module runs at once on this node (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); 0 pulls nothing. It is set per node in the mesh's configuration; a node with no value builds nothing.",
-      "minimum": 0,
-      "default": 0
-    },
-    "build-hours": {
       "type": "string",
-      "description": "When this node may take this module's build asks: one window HH:MM-HH:MM in the node's local time (an end before its start crosses midnight, 18:00-06:00). Outside it the node takes no new step and finishes the ones it runs; an empty value builds at any hour. It is set per node in the mesh's configuration.",
-      "pattern": "|([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]-([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]",
-      "default": ""
-    },
-    "cores-per-step": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many processors one Node step of this module needs (tsc, esbuild and a test runner; a median step takes 15 s). The capacity above is an upper bound: on each node the module runs at most floor(the cores of its build slice's CPU quota / this) steps at once, the quota read live from its cgroup (issue 1806), so a lowered build CPU share never starves its steps. Above 0.",
-      "minimum": 0.1,
-      "default": 2
+      "description": "How many asks of the Node build seat this module runs at once on each node, as node=asks pairs separated by commas, such as shanks=3,ace=2 (novox/hq ADR 0525 §5); a node set to 0 pulls nothing, a node not named runs one at a time. The control-node and the laptop build nothing.",
+      "pattern": "|[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+(,[a-z0-9_-]+=[0-9]+)*",
+      "default": "shanks=3,ace=2,g14=0,novox=0"
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -46,7 +34,6 @@
     "build_node_release",
     "build_node_step",
     "build_node_steps",
-    "build_node_step_end",
     "build_node_toolchains",
     "build_node_status",
     "build_node_health"
@@ -112,7 +99,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-node",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-catalog/module.json.captured

@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@
   "secrets": {
     "postgres-database": "${dir:state}/database.secret"
   },
-  "consumes": [],
+  "consumes": [
+    "mesh-controller.built-before"
+  ],
   "emits": [
     "registered",
     "upgraded",
@@ -90,12 +92,5 @@
         "from": "files"
       }
     ]
-  },
-  "invokes": [
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.builder_builds_since"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.builds",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests"
-  ]
+  }
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-conditions/module.json.captured

@@ -1,87 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "module": "mesh-conditions",
-  "version": "1",
-  "runs-as": "mesh-conditions",
-  "claims": [
-    {
-      "name": "mesh-conditions",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "serves": [
-        "conditions",
-        "silence",
-        "compare",
-        "take-over",
-        "hand-back",
-        "resync"
-      ]
-    }
-  ],
-  "uses": [
-    "operator-channel"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-watchman.findings",
-    "mesh-self-check.findings",
-    "mesh-healers.findings",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.findings",
-    "messenger.findings",
-    "mesh-provisioner.findings",
-    "artifact-store-tools.findings",
-    "mesh-healers.attempts",
-    "mesh-controller.conditions",
-    "mesh-controller.lease",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.wants",
-    "node-engine.have",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.placement"
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    "conditions",
-    {
-      "name": "history",
-      "ttl-seconds": 7776000
-    },
-    "takeover",
-    "held",
-    {
-      "name": "bounds",
-      "key-ttl": true
-    },
-    "asked"
-  ],
-  "own-secrets": {
-    "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"
-  },
-  "secrets-owner": "mesh-conditions",
-  "resources": [
-    {
-      "id": "account",
-      "type": "user",
-      "name": "mesh-conditions",
-      "shell": "/usr/bin/nologin",
-      "home": "/var/lib/mesh-conditions"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "state",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "mode": "0700",
-      "owner": "mesh-conditions",
-      "place": ".",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    }
-  ],
-  "build": {
-    "artifacts": [
-      {
-        "name": "tools",
-        "kind": "bundle",
-        "language": "go",
-        "system": "arch",
-        "from": "cmd/mesh-conditions",
-        "binary": "mesh-conditions",
-        "loads": [
-          "mesh-conditions"
-        ]
-      }
-    ]
-  }
-}

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-config/module.json.captured

@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
       "name": "mesh-config",
       "scope": "mesh",
       "serves": [
-        "config",
-        "compare",
-        "take-over",
-        "hand-back"
+        "config"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -26,30 +23,14 @@
     "gitea.forge.pull-request.closed"
   ],
   "invokes": [
-    "seat:mesh-hand-acts.hand-act",
-    "seat:mesh-hand-acts.warranted",
     "seat:mesh-controller.hand-act",
     "seat:mesh-controller.warranted",
     "gitea.gitea_get_pull_request"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.placement",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.wants",
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.builds",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests",
-    "mesh-controller.predefined",
+    "mesh-controller.assignments",
     "mesh-controller.declared-config",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.predefined",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.config-candidates",
-    "mesh-controller.lease"
-  ],
-  "tools": [
-    "config_compare",
-    "config_take_over",
-    "config_hand_back",
-    "config_declared",
-    "config_resync"
+    "mesh-controller.predefined"
   ],
   "state": [
     "values",
@@ -57,9 +38,7 @@
     "predefined",
     "proposals",
     "pulls",
-    "kept",
-    "declared",
-    "takeover"
+    "kept"
   ],
   "logs": [
     "history"

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/files/settings.json

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
   "refusal-stall-floor-minutes": 10,
-  "author-new-head-minutes": 120,
-  "check-gates-merge": true
+  "author-new-head-minutes": 120
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/module.json.captured

@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
         "table",
         "stalled",
         "recheck",
-        "close",
-        "settle"
+        "close"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -27,17 +26,13 @@
     "gitea.forge.pull-request.edited",
     "gitea.forge.pull-request.closed",
     "mesh-delivery-forge-bridge.forge.**",
-    "mesh-config.config-changed",
-    "gitea.repo.writable"
+    "mesh-config.config-changed"
   ],
   "emits": [
     "transition",
     "group",
     "merged"
   ],
-  "uses": [
-    "operator-channel"
-  ],
   "invokes": [
     "gitea.gitea_commit_statuses",
     "gitea.gitea_contains",
@@ -62,23 +57,14 @@
     {
       "name": "source",
       "history": 64
-    },
-    "conditions",
-    {
-      "name": "turns",
-      "history": 5
     }
   ],
   "reads": [
     "mesh-delivery-teller.answers",
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.verdicts",
-    "mesh-delivery-view.reach"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.verdicts"
   ],
   "tools": [
-    "delivery_hand_now",
-    "delivery_merge_again",
-    "delivery_status",
-    "delivery_turns"
+    "delivery_status"
   ],
   "config": {
     "refusal-stall-floor-minutes": {
@@ -96,12 +82,6 @@
       "maximum": 10080,
       "trusted": false,
       "default": 120
-    },
-    "check-gates-merge": {
-      "type": "boolean",
-      "description": "Whether mesh/check gates the merge. True (the default): the operator's Approve is asked, and a merge handed, only on a passing verdict judged against the trunk's head, and a trunk's move puts a verdict out of date (ADR 0447, ADR 0505 §4). False (the operator, 2026-10-25 22:56: \"run the check locally only, but not as a gate, it loses us too much time\"; developers run the unit and integration levels locally before a pull request): a pull request reviewed at its head is ready, and its Approve is asked once the check at its heads (a group: of all its heads together) has a verdict, a pass or a failure said in the ask, or after 60 minutes with none, said so (the operator, 2026-10-27 23:54: \"if you don't want me to approve it, don't send the approval request\"); an approved merge waits for no verdict; no merge is refused for a check judged on an older trunk; a later verdict is shown on the pull request and the delivery, and asks a pending Approve again in its words; a group still merges all its members in one pass. Set it false together with the gitea module's check-gates-merge, which lets its merge tool merge an approved head without a passing mesh/check.",
-      "trusted": false,
-      "default": true
     }
   },
   "resources": [
@@ -119,8 +99,7 @@
       "mode": "0600",
       "takes-config": [
         "refusal-stall-floor-minutes",
-        "author-new-head-minutes",
-        "check-gates-merge"
+        "author-new-head-minutes"
       ],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-hand-acts/module.json.captured

@@ -1,65 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "module": "mesh-hand-acts",
-  "version": "1",
-  "runs-as": "mesh-hand-acts",
-  "claims": [
-    {
-      "name": "mesh-hand-acts",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "serves": [
-        "hand-act",
-        "hand-acts",
-        "warranted"
-      ]
-    }
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-controller.hand-acts",
-    "messenger.asks"
-  ],
-  "logs": [
-    {
-      "name": "acts",
-      "max-age-days": 400
-    }
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    "warrants"
-  ],
-  "own-secrets": {
-    "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"
-  },
-  "secrets-owner": "mesh-hand-acts",
-  "resources": [
-    {
-      "id": "account",
-      "type": "user",
-      "name": "mesh-hand-acts",
-      "shell": "/usr/bin/nologin",
-      "home": "/var/lib/mesh-hand-acts"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "state",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "mode": "0700",
-      "owner": "mesh-hand-acts",
-      "place": ".",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    }
-  ],
-  "build": {
-    "artifacts": [
-      {
-        "name": "tools",
-        "kind": "bundle",
-        "language": "go",
-        "system": "arch",
-        "from": "cmd/mesh-hand-acts",
-        "binary": "mesh-hand-acts",
-        "loads": [
-          "mesh-hand-acts"
-        ]
-      }
-    ]
-  }
-}

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-healers/module.json.captured

@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "module": "mesh-healers",
-  "version": "1",
-  "runs-as": "mesh-healers",
-  "claims": [
-    {
-      "name": "mesh-healers",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "serves": [
-        "healers",
-        "heal",
-        "drill"
-      ]
-    }
-  ],
-  "consumes": [
-    "mesh-conditions.condition-raised",
-    "mesh-conditions.condition-changed",
-    "mesh-hand-acts.act-recorded"
-  ],
-  "invokes": [
-    "mesh-grants.grants_assert",
-    "seat:mesh-hand-acts.hand-act",
-    "seat:mesh-controller.drill"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-controller.lease",
-    "mesh-conditions.conditions",
-    "mesh-controller.hand-acts"
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    {
-      "name": "attempts",
-      "key-ttl": true
-    },
-    {
-      "name": "would",
-      "key-ttl": true
-    },
-    "findings",
-    {
-      "name": "wakes",
-      "key-ttl": true
-    }
-  ],
-  "own-secrets": {
-    "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"
-  },
-  "secrets-owner": "mesh-healers",
-  "resources": [
-    {
-      "id": "account",
-      "type": "user",
-      "name": "mesh-healers",
-      "shell": "/usr/bin/nologin",
-      "home": "/var/lib/mesh-healers"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "state",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "mode": "0700",
-      "owner": "mesh-healers",
-      "place": ".",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    }
-  ],
-  "build": {
-    "artifacts": [
-      {
-        "name": "tools",
-        "kind": "bundle",
-        "language": "go",
-        "system": "arch",
-        "from": "cmd/mesh-healers",
-        "binary": "mesh-healers",
-        "loads": [
-          "mesh-healers"
-        ]
-      }
-    ]
-  }
-}

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-issues/module.json.captured

@@ -13,17 +13,12 @@
         "move",
         "note",
         "link",
-        "milestones",
-        "milestone-set",
-        "milestone-move",
         "import",
         "groom",
         "set",
         "tracking",
         "reserve",
-        "fix-times",
-        "learn-fixes",
-        "changes"
+        "fix-times"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -38,17 +33,12 @@
         "move",
         "note",
         "link",
-        "milestones",
-        "milestone-set",
-        "milestone-move",
         "import",
         "groom",
         "set",
         "tracking",
         "reserve",
-        "fix-times",
-        "learn-fixes",
-        "changes"
+        "fix-times"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -62,9 +52,7 @@
     "triaged",
     "ready",
     "ready-to-verify",
-    "reserved",
-    "milestone-set",
-    "milestone-moved"
+    "reserved"
   ],
   "consumes": [
     "mesh-issues.opened",
@@ -78,7 +66,6 @@
     "seat:operator-channel.notify",
     "gitea.gitea_pull_reviews",
     "gitea.gitea_contains",
-    "gitea.gitea_get_pull_request",
     "records.records_status",
     "records.records_list",
     "records.records_read",
@@ -94,11 +81,7 @@
     },
     "counters",
     "grooming",
-    "reservations",
-    {
-      "name": "milestones",
-      "history": 5
-    }
+    "reservations"
   ],
   "config": {
     "first-number": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-knowledge/module.json.captured

@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@
         "propose",
         "import",
         "return",
-        "withdraw",
-        "progress"
+        "withdraw"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -53,15 +52,13 @@
         "propose",
         "import",
         "return",
-        "withdraw",
-        "progress"
+        "withdraw"
       ]
     }
   ],
   "tools": [
     "knowledge_health",
-    "knowledge_highest",
-    "knowledge_marks"
+    "knowledge_highest"
   ],
   "emits": [
     "reserved",
@@ -84,14 +81,7 @@
     "records.records_status",
     "records.records_list",
     "records.records_read",
-    "seat:operator-channel.notify",
-    "seat:issue-tracker.list",
-    "seat:issue-tracker.get",
-    "seat:issue-tracker.milestones",
-    "seat:issue-tracker.changes",
-    "seat:mesh-delivery.deliveries",
-    "seat:mesh-delivery.show",
-    "seat:mesh-delivery.groups"
+    "seat:operator-channel.notify"
   ],
   "config": {
     "judge-model": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-provisioner/module.json.captured

@@ -11,36 +11,11 @@
       ]
     }
   ],
-  "uses": [
-    "operator-channel"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.placement",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.wants",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests",
-    "mesh-delivery-builder.builds",
-    "node-engine.have",
-    "mesh-config.resolved",
-    "gitea.bound",
-    "keycloak.bound",
-    "postgres.bound",
-    "route-adapter.bound",
-    "mesh-vault.bound"
-  ],
-  "tools": [
-    "provisioner_provisions",
-    "provisioner_plans",
-    "provisioner_compose",
-    "provisioner_decide"
-  ],
   "state": [
     "registry",
     "needs",
     "applied",
-    "collect",
-    "provisions",
-    "plans"
+    "collect"
   ],
   "own-secrets": {
     "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-self-check/module.json.captured

@@ -1,87 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "module": "mesh-self-check",
-  "version": "1",
-  "runs-as": "mesh-self-check",
-  "claims": [
-    {
-      "name": "mesh-self-check",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "serves": [
-        "doctor",
-        "probes"
-      ]
-    }
-  ],
-  "invokes": [
-    "nats.nats_streams",
-    "nats.nats_closed_connections",
-    "seat:mesh-watchdogs.signals",
-    "seat:node-intrusion-prevention.banned"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.placement",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.seat-holders",
-    "mesh-delivery-watchman.presence",
-    "mesh-host.health",
-    "disk-load.readings",
-    "restic.good",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules",
-    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests"
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    "findings",
-    "verdict",
-    {
-      "name": "verdicts",
-      "ttl-seconds": 604800
-    }
-  ],
-  "own-secrets": {
-    "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"
-  },
-  "secrets-owner": "mesh-self-check",
-  "resources": [
-    {
-      "id": "account",
-      "type": "user",
-      "name": "mesh-self-check",
-      "shell": "/usr/bin/nologin",
-      "home": "/var/lib/mesh-self-check"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "state",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "mode": "0700",
-      "owner": "mesh-self-check",
-      "place": ".",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    }
-  ],
-  "build": {
-    "artifacts": [
-      {
-        "name": "tools",
-        "kind": "bundle",
-        "language": "go",
-        "system": "arch",
-        "from": "cmd/mesh-self-check",
-        "binary": "mesh-self-check",
-        "loads": [
-          "mesh-self-check"
-        ]
-      }
-    ]
-  },
-  "config": {
-    "probes": {
-      "type": "list",
-      "description": "The ids of the probes that run, each judging one thing of the mesh (mesh-self-check.probes lists them with what each asserts). A probe not listed runs nothing and raises nothing, and what it raised before is cleared. D8 and DA are in the code and off by default.",
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": [
-        "D13",
-        "D-fill"
-      ],
-      "runtime": true
-    }
-  }
-}

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-vault/module.json.captured

@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "secret",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
-      },
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "in": "a vault entry"
@@ -17,27 +14,10 @@
   "emits": [
     "provisioned",
     "rotated",
-    "secret-changed",
-    "account-hashed",
-    "own-replaced",
-    "account-issued",
-    "signed"
+    "secret-changed"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "node-engine.have",
-    "mesh-grants.accounts",
-    "mesh-controller.lease",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.placement",
-    "mesh-provisioner.plans",
-    "mesh-provisioner.provisions"
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    {
-      "name": "bus-accounts",
-      "history": 2
-    },
-    "signers",
-    "bound"
+    "mesh-controller.assignments"
   ],
   "receives": {
     "secret": "${dir:grants}/mesh.json"
@@ -155,8 +135,7 @@
           "MESH_VAULT_LEDGER": "${dir:ledger}",
           "MESH_VAULT_ROOT": "${dir:root}",
           "MESH_VAULT_STORE": "${dir:store}",
-          "MESH_VAULT_STATE": "${dir:state}",
-          "MESH_VAULT_SECRET_ASK_CALLERS": "node-tools"
+          "MESH_VAULT_STATE": "${dir:state}"
         }
       }
     ]
@@ -166,10 +145,6 @@
     "secret_holders",
     "secret_verify",
     "secret_handed",
-    "secret_own",
-    "account_hash",
-    "account_adopt",
-    "account_retire",
     "secret_asks",
     "secret_vault_export",
     "provisioner_retirement",
@@ -177,12 +152,7 @@
     "provisioner_retire_reject",
     "provisioner_delete",
     "vault_status",
-    "vault_health",
-    "own_drift",
-    "own_take_switch",
-    "vault_signers",
-    "vault_signed",
-    "signers_reassert"
+    "vault_health"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -196,10 +166,7 @@
         "rotate",
         "move-in",
         "node-key",
-        "move-asks",
-        "own",
-        "issue-account",
-        "sign"
+        "move-asks"
       ]
     }
   ]

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mesh-watcher/module.json.captured

@@ -3,15 +3,11 @@
   "version": "1",
   "slug": "watch",
   "consumes": [
-    "mesh-controller.doctor-heartbeat",
-    "mesh-self-check.checked"
-  ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-conditions.takeover",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.seat-holders"
+    "mesh-controller.doctor-heartbeat"
   ],
   "invokes": [
-    "mesh-watcher.watcher_ping"
+    "mesh-watcher.watcher_ping",
+    "seat:mesh-controller.seats"
   ],
   "own-secrets": {
     "telegram-token": "${dir:state}/telegram-token"
@@ -43,9 +39,7 @@
       "type": "file",
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
-      "takes-config": [
-        "telegram-chat-id"
-      ],
+      "takes-config": ["telegram-chat-id"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/messenger/module.json.captured

@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@
     "mesh-controller.condition-raised",
     "mesh-controller.condition-changed",
     "mesh-controller.condition-cleared",
-    "mesh-conditions.condition-raised",
-    "mesh-conditions.condition-changed",
-    "mesh-conditions.condition-cleared",
     "mesh-delivery-view.moving",
     "mesh-delivery-view.settled",
     "mesh-delivery-view.stuck",
@@ -93,13 +90,9 @@
   ],
   "invokes": [
     "seat:mesh-controller.conditions",
-    "seat:mesh-conditions.conditions",
-    "seat:node-engine.root-free",
+    "seat:mesh-controller.root-free",
     "seat:issue-tracker.tracking"
   ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-conditions.takeover"
-  ],
   "state": [
     "open",
     "sent",

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/minio/module.json.captured

@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
       "identity": {
         "max": 20,
         "in": "an S3 access key"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -39,8 +36,8 @@
       ]
     }
   ],
-  "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.seat-holders"
+  "invokes": [
+    "seat:mesh-controller.seats"
   ],
   "contributes": {
     "route": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mongodb/module.json.captured

@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
       "identity": {
         "max": 63,
         "in": "a MongoDB database name"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mosquitto/module.json.captured

@@ -8,9 +8,6 @@
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "in": "a Mosquitto client and topic prefix"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mounts/module.json.captured

@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
     "nfs-share"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "disk-load.readings",
     "nfs-server.exports"
   ],
+  "invokes": [
+    "seat:mesh-controller.data"
+  ],
   "capabilities": [
     "package-manager",
     "service-manager"
@@ -36,20 +38,20 @@
       "per-machine": true
     }
   ],
-  "config": {
-    "shares": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "description": "The shares of another machine this machine mounts: space-separated name=mountpoint, each optionally :ro, or none (novox/hq ADR 0263 rule 5).",
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": "none"
+    "config": {
+      "shares": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "description": "The shares of another machine this machine mounts: space-separated name=mountpoint, each optionally :ro, or none (novox/hq ADR 0263 rule 5).",
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": "none"
+      },
+      "sources": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "description": "The occasional sources this machine mounts: space-separated name=smb://[<user>@]<host>/<share>@<mountpoint> or name=disk:<uuid>@<mountpoint>, each optionally :ro, or none (novox/hq ADR 0263 rule 6); an SMB source's username is in its entry, its password the secret smb-password-<name> (novox/hq ADR 0283).",
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": "none"
+      }
     },
-    "sources": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "description": "The occasional sources this machine mounts: space-separated name=smb://[<user>@]<host>/<share>@<mountpoint> or name=disk:<uuid>@<mountpoint>, each optionally :ro, or none (novox/hq ADR 0263 rule 6); an SMB source's username is in its entry, its password the secret smb-password-<name> (novox/hq ADR 0283).",
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": "none"
-    }
-  },
   "own-secrets": {
     "smb-password-*": {
       "path": "${dir:state}/smb-password-*.secret",

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/mssql/module.json.captured

@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
       "identity": {
         "max": 128,
         "in": "a SQL Server login and database name"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/nats/module.json.captured

@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "mesh-bus",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
   "claims": [
@@ -22,16 +19,12 @@
   ],
   "bus-users": "/var/lib/nats-module/conf/accounts.conf",
   "own-secrets": {
-    "broker": "${dir:mesh-state}/broker",
-    "broker-nats-tools": "${dir:tools-secret}/broker-nats-tools"
+    "broker": "${dir:mesh-state}/broker"
   },
   "capabilities": [
     "container-runtime"
   ],
-  "emits": [
-    "consumer-removed",
-    "bucket-keys-removed"
-  ],
+  "emits": [],
   "consumes": [],
   "listens": [
     {
@@ -52,9 +45,7 @@
     "nats_buckets",
     "nats_users",
     "nats_user_can",
-    "nats_snapshot_verify",
-    "nats_consumer_remove",
-    "nats_bucket_remove"
+    "nats_snapshot_verify"
   ],
   "guards": [
     8222
@@ -95,13 +86,6 @@
       "mode": "0700",
       "unknown": "program"
     },
-    {
-      "id": "tools-secret",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "path": "/var/lib/mesh/nats-tools",
-      "mode": "0711",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    },
     {
       "id": "snapshots",
       "type": "directory",
@@ -206,18 +190,11 @@
         "loads": [
           "nats-tools"
         ],
-        "bus": {
-          "removes": [
-            "DEAD_LETTER_NOTICES.controller",
-            "mesh-host_acts"
-          ]
-        },
         "env": {
           "MESH_NATS_MONITOR": "http://127.0.0.1:8222",
           "MESH_NATS_CONTAINER": "mesh-broker-nats",
           "MESH_NATS_USERS_FILE": "/etc/nats/accounts.conf",
-          "MESH_NATS_SNAPSHOTS_DIR": "${dir:snapshots}",
-          "NATS_TOOLS_CREDENTIAL": "${dir:tools-secret}/broker-nats-tools"
+          "MESH_NATS_SNAPSHOTS_DIR": "${dir:snapshots}"
         }
       },
       {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/nextcloud/module.json.captured

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     },
     "user": {
       "type": "string",
-      "description": "The Nextcloud account the module's tools act as; empty is mesh-admin, the account the module makes and keeps for itself. Any other account is used as given and never repaired.",
+      "description": "The Nextcloud account the module's tools act as; empty is admin.",
       "trusted": true,
       "default": ""
     }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/nfs-server/module.json.captured

@@ -13,10 +13,7 @@
     {
       "name": "nfs-share",
       "scope": "mesh",
-      "identity": false,
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "identity": false
     }
   ],
   "data": {
@@ -48,24 +45,26 @@
     }
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "disk-load.readings",
-    "mesh-delivery-assigner.seat-holders",
     "mounts.shares"
   ],
-  "config": {
-    "shares": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "description": "The folders this machine exports, as space-separated name=path; the operator's, with no default (novox/hq ADR 0263).",
-      "trusted": true,
-      "required": true
+  "invokes": [
+    "seat:mesh-controller.seats",
+    "seat:mesh-controller.data"
+  ],
+    "config": {
+      "shares": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "description": "The folders this machine exports, as space-separated name=path; the operator's, with no default (novox/hq ADR 0263).",
+        "trusted": true,
+        "required": true
+      },
+      "grants": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "description": "Which nodes may mount which share, and how: share=node:rw|ro[,node:rw|ro], entries separated by spaces, or none to export to no node whatever a node wants (novox/hq ADR 0263).",
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": "none"
+      }
     },
-    "grants": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "description": "Which nodes may mount which share, and how: share=node:rw|ro[,node:rw|ro], entries separated by spaces, or none to export to no node whatever a node wants (novox/hq ADR 0263).",
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": "none"
-    }
-  },
   "facts": {
     "machines": {
       "path": "/etc/nfs-server/machines",

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/nodejs/module.json.captured

@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "node-toolchain",
-      "reach": "machine",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "reach": "machine"
     }
   ],
   "resources": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/ollama/module.json.captured

@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "model-access",
-      "scope": "node",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "scope": "node"
     }
   ],
   "listens": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/postgres/module.json.captured

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "postgres-database",
-      "credential": {"form": "pair"},
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "max": 63,
@@ -196,7 +195,6 @@
     "bound"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-provisioner.plans",
-    "mesh-provisioner.provisions"
+    "mesh-controller.assignments"
   ]
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/power/module.json.captured

@@ -314,48 +314,6 @@
       "mode": "0644",
       "template": "templates/systemd/system/suspend-then-hibernate.target.d/mesh-power.conf"
     },
-    {
-      "id": "reboot-drop-ins",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "path": "/etc/systemd/system/reboot.target.d",
-      "mode": "0755",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "reboot-bound",
-      "type": "file",
-      "path": "/etc/systemd/system/reboot.target.d/mesh-power.conf",
-      "mode": "0644",
-      "template": "templates/systemd/system/reboot.target.d/mesh-power.conf"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "poweroff-drop-ins",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "path": "/etc/systemd/system/poweroff.target.d",
-      "mode": "0755",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "poweroff-bound",
-      "type": "file",
-      "path": "/etc/systemd/system/poweroff.target.d/mesh-power.conf",
-      "mode": "0644",
-      "template": "templates/systemd/system/poweroff.target.d/mesh-power.conf"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "halt-drop-ins",
-      "type": "directory",
-      "path": "/etc/systemd/system/halt.target.d",
-      "mode": "0755",
-      "unknown": "program"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": "halt-bound",
-      "type": "file",
-      "path": "/etc/systemd/system/halt.target.d/mesh-power.conf",
-      "mode": "0644",
-      "template": "templates/systemd/system/halt.target.d/mesh-power.conf"
-    },
     {
       "id": "udev-rule",
       "type": "file",

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/power/templates/systemd/system/halt.target.d/mesh-power.conf

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# Written by the mesh (module power, novox/hq ADR 0211; issue 1126). Replaced on every push.
-#
-# A shutdown is bounded at ten minutes, not systemd's thirty. A unit started again during the shutdown
-# (on ace, 2026-10-28, the bus and the authorization manager) is never stopped a second time, and the
-# shutdown then waits on this job's timeout with nothing on the console. The target keeps its own
-# forcing action: the last phase still ends every process, unmounts and syncs.
-[Unit]
-JobTimeoutSec=10min

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/power/templates/systemd/system/poweroff.target.d/mesh-power.conf

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# Written by the mesh (module power, novox/hq ADR 0211; issue 1126). Replaced on every push.
-#
-# A shutdown is bounded at ten minutes, not systemd's thirty. A unit started again during the shutdown
-# (on ace, 2026-10-28, the bus and the authorization manager) is never stopped a second time, and the
-# shutdown then waits on this job's timeout with nothing on the console. The target keeps its own
-# forcing action: the last phase still ends every process, unmounts and syncs.
-[Unit]
-JobTimeoutSec=10min

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/power/templates/systemd/system/reboot.target.d/mesh-power.conf

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# Written by the mesh (module power, novox/hq ADR 0211; issue 1126). Replaced on every push.
-#
-# A shutdown is bounded at ten minutes, not systemd's thirty. A unit started again during the shutdown
-# (on ace, 2026-10-28, the bus and the authorization manager) is never stopped a second time, and the
-# shutdown then waits on this job's timeout with nothing on the console. The target keeps its own
-# forcing action: the last phase still ends every process, unmounts and syncs.
-[Unit]
-JobTimeoutSec=10min

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/redis/module.json.captured

@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "in": "a Redis ACL user and key prefix"
-      },
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/restic/module.json.captured

@@ -41,40 +41,40 @@
       }
     ]
   },
-  "config": {
-    "keep-daily": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many nightly restore points are kept, a count from 1 to 9999: two weeks undo a mistake noticed within a fortnight. Read by the night, which thins nothing while it does not read (novox/hq issue 416); lowering it deletes the restore points beyond the new count at the next night, and that cannot be undone.",
-      "minimum": 1,
-      "maximum": 9999,
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": 14
+    "config": {
+      "keep-daily": {
+        "type": "number",
+        "description": "How many nightly restore points are kept, a count from 1 to 9999: two weeks undo a mistake noticed within a fortnight. Read by the night, which thins nothing while it does not read (novox/hq issue 416); lowering it deletes the restore points beyond the new count at the next night, and that cannot be undone.",
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "maximum": 9999,
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": 14
+      },
+      "keep-weekly": {
+        "type": "number",
+        "description": "How many weekly restore points are kept behind the dailies, a count from 1 to 9999, refused by the night like keep-daily; lowering it deletes the restore points beyond the new count at the next night, and that cannot be undone.",
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "maximum": 9999,
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": 8
+      },
+      "keep-monthly": {
+        "type": "number",
+        "description": "How many monthly restore points are kept behind the weeklies, a count from 1 to 9999, refused by the night like keep-daily; lowering it deletes the restore points beyond the new count at the next night, and that cannot be undone.",
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "maximum": 9999,
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": 6
+      },
+      "keep-hand-taken-days": {
+        "type": "number",
+        "description": "How many days a restore point taken by hand (node-backup.now, or the mesh's before a module moves) is kept at least, a count from 1 to 9999; it is kept until a later good night of its module exists, and this many days in any case, so the next thinning never takes the one taken against a risky change (novox/hq issue 453). Lowering it lets go of the older ones taken by hand at the next thinning, and that cannot be undone.",
+        "minimum": 1,
+        "maximum": 9999,
+        "trusted": true,
+        "default": 7
+      }
     },
-    "keep-weekly": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many weekly restore points are kept behind the dailies, a count from 1 to 9999, refused by the night like keep-daily; lowering it deletes the restore points beyond the new count at the next night, and that cannot be undone.",
-      "minimum": 1,
-      "maximum": 9999,
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": 8
-    },
-    "keep-monthly": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many monthly restore points are kept behind the weeklies, a count from 1 to 9999, refused by the night like keep-daily; lowering it deletes the restore points beyond the new count at the next night, and that cannot be undone.",
-      "minimum": 1,
-      "maximum": 9999,
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": 6
-    },
-    "keep-hand-taken-days": {
-      "type": "number",
-      "description": "How many days a restore point taken by hand (node-backup.now, or the mesh's before a module moves) is kept at least, a count from 1 to 9999; it is kept until a later good night of its module exists, and this many days in any case, so the next thinning never takes the one taken against a risky change (novox/hq issue 453). Lowering it lets go of the older ones taken by hand at the next thinning, and that cannot be undone.",
-      "minimum": 1,
-      "maximum": 9999,
-      "trusted": true,
-      "default": 7
-    }
-  },
   "resources": [
     {
       "id": "state",
@@ -139,17 +139,22 @@
         "MESH_BACKUP_DATA": "${dir:state}/data.conf"
       },
       "health": {
-        "kind": "unit"
+        "kind": "tool",
+        "tool": "backup_health",
+        "interval": "60s",
+        "timeout": "20s",
+        "looks": 2,
+        "grace": "60s"
       }
     },
     {
-      "id": "awake",
+      "id": "measure",
       "type": "process",
-      "name": "restic-awake",
+      "name": "restic-measure",
       "artifact": "tools",
       "run": [
         "./restic-backups",
-        "awake"
+        "measure"
       ],
       "user": "${machine:account}",
       "env": {
@@ -160,12 +165,7 @@
         "MESH_BACKUP_DATA": "${dir:state}/data.conf"
       },
       "health": {
-        "kind": "tool",
-        "tool": "backup_health",
-        "interval": "60s",
-        "timeout": "20s",
-        "looks": 2,
-        "grace": "60s"
+        "kind": "unit"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -195,11 +195,5 @@
         "from": "files"
       }
     ]
-  },
-  "reads": [
-    "disk-load.readings"
-  ],
-  "state": [
-    "good"
-  ]
+  }
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/route-adapter/module.json.captured

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "route",
-      "credential": {"form": "none"},
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": false
     }
@@ -130,7 +129,6 @@
     "bound"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-provisioner.plans",
-    "mesh-provisioner.provisions"
+    "mesh-controller.assignments"
   ]
 }

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/showcase/module.json.captured

@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "greeting",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
   "serves": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/step-ca/module.json.captured

@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "internal-acme-ca",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
   "serves": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/systemd-resolved/module.json.captured

@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "split-dns",
-      "reach": "machine",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "reach": "machine"
     }
   ],
   "requires": [

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/umami/module.json.captured

@@ -32,10 +32,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "analytics",
-      "scope": "mesh",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
   "serves": {

testdata/beside/mesh-catalog/modules/xorg/module.json.captured

@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "x11-display",
-      "reach": "machine",
-      "credential": {
-        "form": "none"
-      }
+      "reach": "machine"
     }
   ],
   "claims": [