Merge main (delivery 1, the parse-only sdk) into L3's re-land, and pin mesh-sdk 2da0de7, the release's final head (issue 774)

The conflicts were go.mod, go.sum and testdata/beside/CAPTURED alone, taken from the release. 2da0de7 is 6e4a301's code;
its conformance events are unchanged.

cmd/mesh-controller/acting.go

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ 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"
@@ -72,6 +73,14 @@ 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.
@@ -174,8 +183,11 @@ func (a *actor) forACommand(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 	return holder.Epoch, nil
 }
 
-// release gives back what this process holds, at its end.
+// 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.
 func (a *actor) release() {
+	a.releasing.Lock()
+	defer a.releasing.Unlock()
 	a.mu.Lock()
 	closing := a.close
 	a.close = nil
@@ -266,20 +278,40 @@ func (a *actor) serveUnderTheLease(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory
 	}
 	a.mu.Lock()
 	a.close = func() {
-		if held, err := l.Epoch(); err == nil {
+		// 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 {
 			ending, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
-			if err := inv.EndEpoch(ending, held, inventory.EpochReleased); err != nil {
-				say("how epoch %d ended could not be recorded: %v", held, err)
+			if err := inv.EndEpoch(ending, given, inventory.EpochReleased); err != nil {
+				say("how epoch %d ended could not be recorded: %v", given, 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()
@@ -288,15 +320,19 @@ 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()})
+		Build: h.Build, Taken: time.Now()}, l.GivenBack())
 	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

@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ 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 {
@@ -111,6 +113,11 @@ func TestTheControlPlaneIsToldWhereTheNodePutTheStoreAndTheBroker(t *testing.T)
 		Kind: inventory.BusController, Node: "anchor", Module: "mesh-controller"}, "bootstrap"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
+	// Seeded with the credential the controller already uses, so it is sealed: an account counts as issued only once
+	// sealed (ADR 0543 §2, PR #467), and genesis's seed is the credential in use.
+	if err := open.inventory.MarkBusAccountSealed(ctx, "anchor.mesh-controller"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	if _, err := assign(ctx, open, "anchor", "mesh-controller"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}

cmd/mesh-controller/compose_input_credentials_integration_test.go

@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ func TestTheAdaptersInputCarriesTheOwnSecretsTheBoxesTheLicencesAndTheBus(t *tes
 		Module: "objects"}, "a-password"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
+	// Minted and sealed to its node: an account counts as issued, and is named among the minted, only once sealed
+	// (ADR 0543 §2, PR #467).
+	if err := inv.MarkBusAccountSealed(ctx, "anchor.objects"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	if err := inv.PutBusMembership(ctx, "laptop", "sealed-membership"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}

cmd/mesh-controller/composed_integration_test.go

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go/jetstream"
 
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/broker"
+	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/builderkeys"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/identity"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/link"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/testbus"
@@ -76,13 +77,18 @@ func aComposingMesh(t *testing.T) *composingMesh {
 	return m
 }
 
-// trunkKeys are a done key and the indexer's trunk value naming it.
+// trunkKeys are a done key and the indexer's trunk value naming it. The indexer holds that value at the trunk's commit
+// alone, as the real one does: answering it for any commit made a module registered at an older commit look already
+// registered at the trunk's fingerprint, so the take-in only moved its commit and recorded no build (issue 1945).
 type trunkKeys struct {
 	keyBuckets
 	trunk sdkdelivery.Module
 }
 
-func (k trunkKeys) ModuleAt(context.Context, string, string) (sdkdelivery.Module, error) {
+func (k trunkKeys) ModuleAt(_ context.Context, _ string, commit string) (sdkdelivery.Module, error) {
+	if commit != "" && !sameCommitID(commit, k.trunk.Commit) {
+		return sdkdelivery.Module{}, builderkeys.ErrNoValue
+	}
 	return k.trunk, 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"}}],
+		"provides":[{"name":"s3-bucket","scope":"mesh","identity":{"max":20,"in":"an S3 access key"},"credential":{"form":"pair"}}],
 		"receives":{"s3-bucket":"/var/lib/mesh/objects/mesh.json"}}`)
 	resolver := write("resolver", `{"module":"resolver","version":"1",
-		"provides":[{"name":"wildcard-resolution","scope":"mesh","identity":false}]}`)
+		"provides":[{"name":"wildcard-resolution","scope":"mesh","identity":false,"credential":{"form":"none"}}]}`)
 	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

@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ 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}}
 	}
@@ -216,8 +219,10 @@ 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}}}
-	other := catalogue.Manifest{Module: "mesh-vault", Version: "1", Provides: []catalogue.Offer{{Name: "secret", 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}}}}
 	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

@@ -89,15 +89,28 @@ func TestTwoControllersOneActs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("B, waiting, may act: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// A hands over, as a controller being replaced does: B takes the lease at once, at a higher epoch.
+	// 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.
 	stopA()
-	a.release()
+	stopped := time.Now()
 	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

@@ -133,9 +133,14 @@ 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 and judge-directories", args[0])
+			"setuid-search, judge-directories and placement-export", args[0])
 	}
 }
 

cmd/mesh-controller/placement_export.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+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

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+//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

@@ -180,6 +180,9 @@ 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

@@ -349,6 +349,11 @@ 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":
@@ -1400,7 +1405,9 @@ 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}
+	"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}
 
 // 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

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -147,9 +148,10 @@ 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 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",
+		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",
 		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 }},
@@ -644,10 +646,29 @@ 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 l.ended {
-		if e.Ended == nil || e.How == inventory.EpochReleased || f.now.Sub(*e.Ended) > advisoryQuiet {
+	for _, e := range ended {
+		if e.Ended == nil || e.How == inventory.EpochReleased || now.Sub(*e.Ended) > advisoryQuiet {
 			continue
 		}
 		lost = append(lost, fmt.Sprintf("epoch %d (%s) %s at %s", e.Epoch, e.Instance, e.How,
@@ -656,18 +677,95 @@ func watchLease(f *signalFacts) []conditions.Observation {
 			newest = e
 		}
 	}
-	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"
+	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]
 		}
-		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

@@ -491,13 +491,41 @@ func TestAStaleWriterIsNamedByItsEpoch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// **The lease lost is said for an hour, and serving without it for as long as it lasts** (S12).
+// **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).
 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 {
@@ -512,6 +540,9 @@ 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 v0.1.14-0.20261024234636-10b6e202320f
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261030001116-2da0de75c3f0
 	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 v0.1.14-0.20261024234636-10b6e202320f h1:lUEyNPPF3w4Q0LIgcUUD6ofkKVhCF0n7dVjMoixQmXo=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024234636-10b6e202320f/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+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=
 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

@@ -46,9 +46,8 @@ 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"))
-	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)
+	if got := pendingOf(js, stream, "fresh", 1); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("a new announcement is not pending: %d", got)
 	}
 	// Asserted again, it keeps where it is.
 	if err := js.EnsureConsumer(fresh); err != nil {
@@ -61,8 +60,8 @@ func TestAConsumerMadeFromNowNeverReplaysTheStreamsHistory(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := js.EnsureConsumer(old); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if info, _ = js.js.ConsumerInfo(stream, "old"); info.NumPending != 6 {
-		t.Fatalf("the default should replay all six: %d", info.NumPending)
+	if got := pendingOf(js, stream, "old", 6); got != 6 {
+		t.Fatalf("the default should replay all six: %d", got)
 	}
 	before, after, err := js.ResetConsumer(stream, "old")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -89,10 +88,13 @@ func TestAConsumerMadeFromNowNeverReplaysTheStreamsHistory(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// pendingOf polls a consumer's pending count until it is want or a second has passed, and returns what it saw last.
+// 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.
 func pendingOf(js *JetStream, stream, name string, want uint64) uint64 {
 	var got uint64
-	for deadline := time.Now().Add(time.Second); ; time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond) {
+	for deadline := time.Now().Add(10 * 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)
 	}
-	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 got := pendingOf(js, EventsStream, MergesConsumerName, 1); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the merges consumer holds %d pending; want the merge", got)
 	}
 	if _, _, err := js.ResetConsumer(EventsStream, ControllerName); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	merges, err = js.Context().ConsumerInfo(EventsStream, MergesConsumerName)
-	if err != nil || merges.NumPending != 1 || merges.Delivered.Stream != 0 {
+	pending := pendingOf(js, EventsStream, MergesConsumerName, 1)
+	merges, err := js.Context().ConsumerInfo(EventsStream, MergesConsumerName)
+	if err != nil || pending != 1 || merges.Delivered.Stream != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("after the reset the merges consumer holds %+v (%v); want its merge left alone", merges, err)
 	}
 }
@@ -107,9 +107,8 @@ func TestAMergeTheOldConsumerHadNotAcknowledgedIsTheMergesConsumers(t *testing.T
 	if err := AssertMeshConsumers(js); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	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)
+	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)
 	}
 }
 

internal/broker/creates_streams_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+package broker
+
+import "testing"
+
+// Defends issue 1790 and novox/hq ADR 0547 §5 (the operator, 2026-10-26 08:54): the grants part may create the stream
+// of each bucket, log and stream a placed module's manifest declares, by its own name, and read it back; nothing
+// wider, nothing updated or deleted, and no other principal so. Held byte-equal in the controller's copy. And ADR 0547
+// clause 7 (issue 1945, the operator's second exception): the grants part writes its own object bucket of sealed user
+// lists, and the node-engine of the node holding mesh-broker alone reads its one key and an object of it by name.
+func TestTheGrantsPartCreatesOnlyDeclaredStreams(t *testing.T) {
+	records := Records{
+		Nodes: []string{"novox", "ace"},
+		Assigned: map[string][]Declared{"ace": {{Module: "plex"}}, "novox": {
+			{Module: "nats", SnapshotsTheBus: true},
+			{Module: "mesh-delivery-builder",
+				State:   []Bucket{{Module: "mesh-delivery-builder", Name: "steps", History: 5}},
+				Logs:    []Log{{Module: "mesh-delivery-builder", Name: "builds"}},
+				Streams: []ModuleStream{{Module: "mesh-delivery-builder", Name: "BUILDASKS", Events: []string{"ask"}}}},
+			{Module: GrantsModule, State: []Bucket{{Module: GrantsModule, Name: "assertions"}}},
+		}},
+	}
+	users, err := Users(records)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	perms := map[string]Permissions{}
+	for _, u := range users {
+		if u.Kind == KindNode {
+			p, err := PermissionsFor(u)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("%s: %v", u.Username(), err)
+			}
+			perms[u.Username()] = p
+			continue
+		}
+		if u.Kind != KindModule {
+			continue
+		}
+		p, err := PermissionsFor(u)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: %v", u.Username(), err)
+		}
+		perms[u.Module] = p
+	}
+	for _, row := range []struct {
+		who, subject string
+		may          bool
+	}{
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_steps", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.INFO.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_steps", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.LOG_mesh-delivery-builder_builds", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.BUILDASKS", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_mesh-grants_assertions", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.UPDATE.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_steps", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.DELETE.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_steps", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.PURGE.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_steps", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_undeclared", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.EVENTS", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.ASSIGNMENTS", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.INFO.EVENTS", false},
+		{"mesh-delivery-builder", "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_mesh-delivery-builder_steps", false},
+		// The sealed user list (ADR 0547 clause 7): the grants part writes its own bucket and no other.
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$O.mesh-grants-user-list.C.abc", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.PURGE.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list", true},
+		{GrantsModule, "$O.declaration-files-novox.C.abc", false},
+		{GrantsModule, "$JS.API.STREAM.DELETE.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list", false},
+		{"mesh-delivery-builder", "$O.mesh-grants-user-list.C.abc", false},
+		// The bus node's engine reads the one key and an object by name; nothing of the bucket's list, no write.
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.KV_mesh-grants_user-list.$KV.mesh-grants_user-list.sealed", true},
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE.KV_mesh-grants_user-list.abc.$KV.mesh-grants_user-list.sealed", true},
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list.$O.mesh-grants-user-list.M.abc", true},
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list.abc.$O.mesh-grants-user-list.C.abc", true},
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.KV_mesh-grants_user-list.$KV.mesh-grants_user-list.list", false},
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.STREAM.INFO.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list", false},
+		{"node.novox", "$JS.API.STREAM.MSG.GET.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list", false},
+		{"node.novox", "$O.mesh-grants-user-list.C.abc", false},
+		{"node.ace", "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.KV_mesh-grants_user-list.$KV.mesh-grants_user-list.sealed", false},
+		{"node.ace", "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.OBJ_mesh-grants-user-list.$O.mesh-grants-user-list.M.abc", false},
+	} {
+		if got := MayPublish(perms[row.who], row.subject); got != row.may {
+			t.Errorf("%s may publish %s: %v, want %v", row.who, row.subject, got, row.may)
+		}
+	}
+	// A name that is no plain token is never granted, and a module other than the grants part is never granted one.
+	if got := CreateStreamGrants([]string{"*", ">", "KV_a.b", "KV_a_b"}); len(got) != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("grants for wildcard names: %v", got)
+	}
+	other, err := PermissionsFor(Principal{Kind: KindModule, Node: "novox", Module: "shop", CreatesStreams: []string{"KV_shop_x"}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if MayPublish(other, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_shop_x") {
+		t.Error("a module other than the grants part was granted a create")
+	}
+	// The writers table refuses the grants part an update, and a create of a stream it was not given.
+	g := Principal{Kind: KindModule, Node: "novox", Module: GrantsModule, CreatesStreams: []string{"KV_a_b"}}
+	if err := CheckWriters(g, []string{"$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_a_b"}); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("the declared create refused: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, refused := range []string{"$JS.API.STREAM.UPDATE.KV_a_b", "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.KV_a_c", "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.*"} {
+		if CheckWriters(g, []string{refused}) == nil {
+			t.Errorf("%s was not refused", refused)
+		}
+	}
+}

internal/broker/log_test.go

@@ -213,8 +213,11 @@ func TestNoPathDeletesALogOrABucket(t *testing.T) {
 					// Only the writers table names it, as a subject no one but the controller may publish.
 					// And the operator's release 6 hand path, whose object store purges a replaced object's chunks in a node's
 					// object bucket (novox/hq ADR 0539 clause 10): a grant, never a call of this repository.
+					// And the grants part's own object bucket of sealed user lists, whose put purges a replaced object's chunks
+					// (novox/hq ADR 0547 clause 7): a grant, never a call of this repository.
 					if !strings.HasSuffix(filepath.ToSlash(path), "internal/broker/writers.go") &&
-						!strings.HasSuffix(filepath.ToSlash(path), "internal/broker/composed.go") {
+						!strings.HasSuffix(filepath.ToSlash(path), "internal/broker/composed.go") &&
+						!strings.HasSuffix(filepath.ToSlash(path), "internal/broker/userlist_switch.go") {
 						found = append(found, path+": "+lit)
 					}
 				}

internal/broker/membership_test.go

@@ -72,6 +72,17 @@ func TestAnAccountMayReadItsOwnMembershipAndNoOthers(t *testing.T) {
 	has(t, perms.Subscribe, "mesh.assignment.anchor.postgres")
 	has(t, perms.Publish, "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.ASSIGNMENTS.mesh.assignment.anchor.postgres")
 	hasNot(t, perms.Subscribe, "mesh.assignment.>")
+	hasNot(t, perms.Publish, "mesh.assignment.*.*")
+	// The grants part alone publishes memberships (ADR 0547 §5), and defines no stream.
+	grants, err := PermissionsFor(Principal{Kind: KindModule, Node: "anchor", Module: GrantsModule, PasswordHash: "x"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	has(t, grants.Publish, "mesh.assignment.*.*")
+	has(t, grants.Publish, "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.ASSIGNMENTS.mesh.assignment.*.*")
+	hasNot(t, perms.Publish, "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET.ASSIGNMENTS.mesh.assignment.*.*")
+	hasNot(t, grants.Publish, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.>")
+	hasNot(t, grants.Publish, "mesh.assignment.>")
 }
 
 // The runtime arriving on a machine changes nothing about what each module is issued (to-be 38 WP2):

internal/broker/modstreams_live_test.go

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

internal/broker/nats.go

@@ -214,9 +214,17 @@ type Principal struct {
 	// StatesItsKeyToTheVault is a machine principal whose node-engine may ask the vault's `node-key` in its own name
 	// (issue 786, novox/hq ADR 0372): set while the vault's holder serves it. That one verb, and nothing else new.
 	StatesItsKeyToTheVault bool
+	// FollowsGrantsUserList is the machine principal of the node holding mesh-broker: its node-engine reads the grants
+	// part's sealed user list, one key and an object by name (novox/hq ADR 0547 clause 7, GrantsUserListFollows).
+	FollowsGrantsUserList bool
 	// BoundBuckets are the providers' buckets of entries, `<module>_bound`, a provisioner client reads its own
 	// machine's keys of (mesh-sdk go/provider, issue 679): every bucket named bound of a module the mesh places.
 	BoundBuckets []string
+	// CreatesStreams are the streams the grants part's principal alone may create (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5; the operator,
+	// 2026-10-26 08:54): the stream of every bucket, log and stream a manifest of a module placed anywhere declares,
+	// by name. Created only, never updated or deleted: a new module state is on the bus when the grants part hears its
+	// manifest, not at the controller's next start (issue 1790).
+	CreatesStreams []string
 
 	// PasswordHash is the bcrypt hash the mesh minted. The plaintext is sealed to the principal
 	// and never appears here: this file is written to a node's disk and read by a server, and a
@@ -908,6 +916,11 @@ func PermissionsFor(p Principal) (Permissions, error) {
 		if p.StatesItsKeyToTheVault {
 			pub = append(pub, "mesh.seat."+VaultNodeKey.Seat+"."+CallKind+"."+VaultNodeKey.Verb+"."+CallerToken(p.Username()))
 		}
+		// And, on the node holding mesh-broker, the grants part's sealed user list it follows from take-over (novox/hq ADR
+		// 0547 clause 7): one key, and an object by its name.
+		if p.FollowsGrantsUserList {
+			pub = append(pub, GrantsUserListFollows()...)
+		}
 
 	case KindModule:
 		// 0. The watchman alone hears who connects and disconnects, and asks who is connected (ADR 0431 §2).
@@ -915,6 +928,17 @@ func PermissionsFor(p Principal) (Permissions, error) {
 			sub = append(sub, BusConnectSubject, BusDisconnectSubject)
 			pub = append(pub, BusConnzSubject)
 		}
+		// The grants part alone publishes the modules' memberships into the assignments stream (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5;
+		// the operator, 2026-10-25 22:31): one per subject, `mesh.assignment.<node>.<module>`, reading the last one of each
+		// first so it publishes only what changed, and no stream it defines.
+		if p.Module == GrantsModule {
+			pub = append(pub, "mesh.assignment.*.*", "$JS.API.DIRECT.GET."+AssignmentsStream+".mesh.assignment.*.*")
+			// And creating each stream a manifest declares, by its own name (the operator, 2026-10-26 08:54; issue
+			// 1790): the create and the read of that one stream, never an update, a delete or a stream not declared.
+			pub = append(pub, CreateStreamGrants(p.CreatesStreams)...)
+			// And its own object bucket, where it writes the user list sealed to the bus node (ADR 0547 clause 7).
+			pub = append(pub, GrantsUserListWrites()...)
+		}
 		// The view alone reads the build seats' workers for the backlog of asks (issue 1887 A8a).
 		if p.Module == ViewModule {
 			pub = append(pub, BuildBacklogReads()...)
@@ -1581,6 +1605,24 @@ func ComposeAccounts(principals []Principal) (string, error) {
 // from them. No other principal is granted the subjects below, and nothing is a wildcard over them.
 const WatchmanModule = "mesh-delivery-watchman"
 
+// CreateStreamGrants is what creating each named stream needs, and nothing wider (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5; the operator,
+// 2026-10-26 08:54): its create, and its information to read back what it holds. Each by its own name: a name that
+// is not one plain subject token is left out, since a wildcard there would be every stream.
+func CreateStreamGrants(streams []string) []string {
+	var out []string
+	for _, s := range streams {
+		if !safeSubject.MatchString(s) {
+			continue
+		}
+		out = append(out, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE."+s, "$JS.API.STREAM.INFO."+s)
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// GrantsModule is the one module whose principal publishes the modules' memberships (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5): the grants
+// part, which composes them from the manifests and placement. It defines no stream and is granted no other subject here.
+const GrantsModule = "mesh-grants"
+
 // The bus's own events, imported into MESH from the default system account `$SYS` under subjects of MESH's own
 // (novox/hq ADR 0431 §1, issue 1147): the server says an account's connections opening and closing only to the system
 // account, and the list of an account's connections only to a request made there. `$SYS` holds no user, so nobody

internal/broker/seattraffic.go

@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ 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 one read: **a holder's records**, a bucket the seat names, read by each user under its own name only
-// (`$KV.<bucket>.<module>.>`), so an asker reads the state of its own asks and no other asker's.
+// And two reads: **a holder's records**, a bucket the seat names, read by each user under its own name only
+// (`$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).
 
 // 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.
@@ -129,6 +130,9 @@ 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 {
@@ -151,6 +155,20 @@ 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

@@ -403,6 +403,19 @@ 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/broker/userlist_switch.go

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package broker
+
+// **The grants part's user list, sealed to the bus node** (novox/hq ADR 0547 clause 7, issue 1945): the operator's
+// second exception to the frozen controller (the first, memberships, 2026-10-25 22:31). The controller's copy of the bus
+// composer grants what mesh-sdk's copy grants, byte for byte, and nothing else: the node-engine of the node holding
+// mesh-broker reads the grants part's one key `user-list.sealed`, watched, and an object of its bucket by name; the
+// grants part writes that bucket. Without it the bus node could never read the first list the grants part writes, since
+// until take-over the list the bus loads is this one (mesh-sdk go/buscompose/userlist_switch.go keeps the other copy).
+
+// The grants part's user list on the bus (mesh-sdk go/delivery userlist.go names them).
+const (
+	GrantsUserListBucket       = "mesh-grants_user-list"
+	GrantsUserListKey          = "sealed"
+	GrantsUserListObjects      = "mesh-grants-user-list"
+	GrantsUserListObjectStream = "OBJ_" + GrantsUserListObjects
+)
+
+// GrantsUserListFollows is what the node-engine of the node holding mesh-broker may publish to follow the grants part's
+// list: the one key read and watched, and an object of the bucket by its name (as ADR 0486 §2 reads a declaration's
+// files: never the object stream's info, which lists every name, never a message by sequence).
+func GrantsUserListFollows() []string {
+	kv := "KV_" + GrantsUserListBucket
+	key := "$KV." + GrantsUserListBucket + "." + GrantsUserListKey
+	obj, s := GrantsUserListObjects, GrantsUserListObjectStream
+	return []string{
+		"$JS.API.DIRECT.GET." + kv + "." + key,
+		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE." + kv + ".*." + key,
+		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.DELETE." + kv + ".*",
+		"$JS.API.STREAM.INFO." + kv,
+		"$JS.FC." + kv + ".>",
+		"$JS.API.DIRECT.GET." + s + ".$O." + obj + ".M.*",
+		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.CREATE." + s + ".*.$O." + obj + ".C.*",
+		"$JS.API.CONSUMER.DELETE." + s + ".*",
+		"$JS.FC." + s + ".>",
+	}
+}
+
+// GrantsUserListWrites is what the grants part may publish to keep its object bucket.
+func GrantsUserListWrites() []string {
+	obj, s := GrantsUserListObjects, GrantsUserListObjectStream
+	return []string{
+		"$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE." + s,
+		"$JS.API.STREAM.INFO." + s,
+		"$JS.API.STREAM.PURGE." + s,
+		"$JS.API.DIRECT.GET." + s + ".>",
+		"$JS.API.STREAM.MSG.GET." + s,
+		"$O." + obj + ".>",
+	}
+}
+
+// grantsOwnObjects is the grants part writing its own object bucket, and nothing of another.
+func grantsOwnObjects(p Principal, pattern string) bool {
+	return p.Kind == KindModule && p.Module == GrantsModule &&
+		(pattern == "$O."+GrantsUserListObjects+".>" || pattern == "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE."+GrantsUserListObjectStream)
+}

internal/broker/users.go

@@ -147,14 +147,19 @@ func Users(r Records) ([]Principal, error) {
 	for _, node := range sortedCopy(r.Nodes) {
 		witness := false
 		var checks []string
+		bus := false
 		for _, d := range r.Assigned[node] {
 			if d.Module == controllerModule {
 				witness = true
 			}
+			if d.SnapshotsTheBus {
+				bus = true
+			}
 			checks = append(checks, d.Checks...)
 		}
 		out = append(out, Principal{Kind: KindNode, Node: node, WitnessesController: witness, Checks: checks,
-			MovesIntoTheVault: servesMoveIn(r), StatesItsKeyToTheVault: servesVerb(r, VaultNodeKey)})
+			MovesIntoTheVault: servesMoveIn(r), StatesItsKeyToTheVault: servesVerb(r, VaultNodeKey),
+			FollowsGrantsUserList: bus})
 		// **And the machine's provisioner client, on an account of its own** (novox/hq ADR 0349 clause 11): one
 		// per machine that runs it, delivered to the module running it.
 		for _, d := range r.Assigned[node] {
@@ -207,6 +212,11 @@ func Users(r Records) ([]Principal, error) {
 				PerMachine: perMachineNames(d.State), KeyedReads: d.KeyedReads,
 				Logs: logNames(d.Logs), Streams: d.Streams, Hears: ComposedHears(d), Queues: d.Queues,
 			})
+			// **The grants part creates what a manifest declares** (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5; the operator, 2026-10-26
+			// 08:54): every placed module's buckets, logs and streams, each by its stream's name.
+			if d.Module == GrantsModule {
+				out[len(out)-1].CreatesStreams = declaredStreamsOf(r)
+			}
 			// **The vault's holder asks the desks and the issuing providers itself** (issue 723), under the
 			// account its own runtime runs on (ADR 0259 §8's runs-as): the one module granted it.
 			if holdsSeat(d, VaultSeat) {
@@ -418,3 +428,29 @@ func boundBucketsOf(r Records) []string {
 func runnerServes(d Declared) bool {
 	return d.Module == RuntimeModule || d.NoAccount || d.Loads || len(d.Serves) > 0 || len(d.Holds) > 0 || len(d.Waits) > 0 || len(d.Checks) > 0
 }
+
+// declaredStreamsOf is the stream of every bucket, log and stream a module placed anywhere declares, once each, in name
+// order (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5, issue 1790): `KV_<module>_<state>`, `LOG_<module>_<log>` and each module stream's own
+// name. What the grants part may create, and nothing beside.
+func declaredStreamsOf(r Records) []string {
+	seen := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, mods := range r.Assigned {
+		for _, d := range mods {
+			for _, b := range d.State {
+				seen["KV_"+b.Bucket()] = true
+			}
+			for _, l := range d.Logs {
+				seen[l.Stream()] = true
+			}
+			for _, s := range d.Streams {
+				seen[s.Name] = true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(seen))
+	for s := range seen {
+		out = append(out, s)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(out)
+	return out
+}

internal/broker/writers.go

@@ -37,6 +37,20 @@ type WriterRow struct {
 // isController, and the other writers' tests, are who a row's writer is as a principal.
 func isController(p Principal, _ string) bool { return p.Kind == KindController }
 
+// createsDeclared is the controller, or the grants part creating one stream a manifest declares, by its own name: the
+// create alone, never an update or a delete (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5; the operator, 2026-10-26 08:54).
+func createsDeclared(p Principal, pattern string) bool {
+	if isController(p, pattern) {
+		return true
+	}
+	name, ok := strings.CutPrefix(pattern, "$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.")
+	if ok && p.Kind == KindModule && p.Module == GrantsModule && name == GrantsUserListObjectStream {
+		return true
+	}
+	return ok && p.Kind == KindModule && p.Module == GrantsModule && slices.Contains(p.CreatesStreams, name) &&
+		safeSubject.MatchString(name)
+}
+
 // ownMachine is a node writing a subject whose third token is its own name, and no wildcard there.
 func ownMachine(p Principal, pattern string) bool {
 	tokens := strings.Split(pattern, ".")
@@ -170,7 +184,8 @@ var WritersTable = []WriterRow{
 		// bucket's stream (ADR 0201), which defines nothing the mesh keeps.
 		Subjects: []string{"$JS.API.STREAM.CREATE.>", "$JS.API.STREAM.UPDATE.>", "$JS.API.STREAM.DELETE.>",
 			"$JS.API.CONSUMER.DURABLE.CREATE.>"},
-		Writes: isController},
+		Writes: createsDeclared,
+		Shared: "the grants part creates a stream a manifest declares, by its name, and never updates or deletes one (novox/hq ADR 0547 §5; the operator, 2026-10-26 08:54)"},
 	{State: "builds and their outcomes", Writer: "the build seat's holder", KeptIn: "its own state",
 		Others:   "the controller asks",
 		Subjects: []string{"mesh.seat.node-build-agent.event.built", "mesh.seat.mesh-build-machine.event.built"},
@@ -237,7 +252,10 @@ var WritersTable = []WriterRow{
 		KeptIn: "the object bucket " + DeclarationFilesBucket + "-<node> of each node, an object removed a day after the " +
 			"node's latest declaration no longer names it",
 		Others:   "a node-engine reads an object of its own bucket by its name and may neither list the bucket nor write it",
-		Subjects: []string{"$O.*.>"}, Writes: isControllerOrTheHandPath},
+		Subjects: []string{"$O.*.>"}, Writes: func(p Principal, pattern string) bool {
+			return isControllerOrTheHandPath(p, pattern) || grantsOwnObjects(p, pattern)
+		},
+		Shared: "the grants part writes its own object bucket " + GrantsUserListObjects + ", the user list sealed to the bus node, and no other (novox/hq ADR 0547 clause 7)"},
 	{State: "the declared-config mirror", Writer: "controller (lease holder), from its store, only on a change",
 		KeptIn: "key-value " + DeclaredConfigBucket, Others: "read through `reads` as mesh-controller." + MirrorDeclaredConfig,
 		Subjects: kvOf(DeclaredConfigBucket), Writes: isController},

internal/inventory/order.go

@@ -67,14 +67,23 @@ 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. Answers the epochs it
-// ended that way, newest first.
-func (i *Inventory) TookEpoch(ctx context.Context, e Epoch) ([]Epoch, error) {
+// 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) {
 	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

@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go/jetstream"
 )
 
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@ 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
@@ -139,6 +142,9 @@ 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)
 }
@@ -184,7 +190,7 @@ 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, stream: stream, ttl: status.TTL(), o: o, lost: make(chan struct{}), update: kv.Update}, nil
+	return &Lease{kv: kv, js: js, stream: stream, ttl: status.TTL(), o: o, lost: make(chan struct{}), update: kv.Update}, nil
 }
 
 // TTL is how long the key lives unrenewed.
@@ -271,6 +277,7 @@ 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
 	}
@@ -307,13 +314,51 @@ 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 = true, revision, revision, now
+	l.held, l.epoch, l.revision, l.taken, l.givenBack = true, revision, revision, now, givenBack
 	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 {
@@ -588,9 +633,11 @@ 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.
-// Only the key this instance last wrote is deleted: one that moved is somebody else's.
-func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) {
+// 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 {
 	l.mu.Lock()
 	held, revision, epoch := l.held && l.lostWhy == nil, l.revision, l.epoch
 	l.held = false
@@ -600,11 +647,11 @@ func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 	l.mu.Unlock()
 	if !held {
-		return
+		return 0
 	}
 	releasing, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.WithoutCancel(ctx), 5*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
-	err := l.kv.Delete(releasing, Key, jetstream.LastRevision(revision))
+	err := l.giveBack(releasing, epoch, 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.
@@ -612,14 +659,29 @@ func (l *Lease) Release(ctx context.Context) {
 			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.kv.Delete(releasing, Key, jetstream.LastRevision(entry.Revision()))
+				err = l.giveBack(releasing, epoch, 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
+		return 0
 	}
 	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

@@ -133,7 +133,12 @@ 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()
-	a.Release(t.Context())
+	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)
+	}
 	select {
 	case epochB := <-took:
 		if epochB <= epochA {
@@ -142,6 +147,9 @@ 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")
 	}
@@ -182,6 +190,9 @@ 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")
@@ -226,8 +237,11 @@ 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.
-	a.Release(t.Context())
+	// 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)
+	}
 	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

@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@
     "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  3a1017f5594217092a654dd1e2d72226766bc16a  modules/*/module.json, modules/*/files, modules/*/templates, predefined.json
+mesh-catalog  8ae8e88dddc86c646de4d1be35919d109ab4c779  modules/*/module.json, modules/*/files, modules/*/templates, predefined.json
 mesh-host     9d9e3a46c4f5943cfffb413d962ce48b75e2fd39  examples/foundation-first-node.lock
-mesh-sdk      10b6e202320f38301c67a6822b0734e0b870ea30  conformance/events/module-event.json
+mesh-sdk      2da0de75c3f0087cff9c2f5ef789ca6dc3c59045  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

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

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

@@ -1,26 +1,52 @@
 {
   "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-controller.artifacts",
-    "seat:mesh-controller.collect",
+    "seat:mesh-hand-acts.hand-act",
     "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",
@@ -36,6 +62,14 @@
       "mode": "0600",
       "trusted": false,
       "template": "files/store-names"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "store-address",
+      "type": "file",
+      "path": "${dir:state}/store-address",
+      "mode": "0600",
+      "trusted": false,
+      "template": "files/store-address"
     }
   ],
   "build": {
@@ -52,7 +86,8 @@
         ],
         "env": {
           "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_CONTAINER": "mesh-registry",
-          "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_NAMES_FILE": "${dir:state}/store-names"
+          "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_NAMES_FILE": "${dir:state}/store-names",
+          "MESH_ARTIFACT_STORE_ADDRESS_FILE": "${dir:state}/store-address"
         }
       },
       {

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

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

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

@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
     "disk_filesystems",
     "disk_folders",
     "disk_devices",
-    "cpu_top"
+    "cpu_top",
+    "disk_readings",
+    "disk_measure"
   ],
   "build": {
     "artifacts": [
@@ -23,5 +25,16 @@
         ]
       }
     ]
-  }
+  },
+  "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

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

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

@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 # 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: 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.
+# 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).
 [Unit]
-After=network-online.target
-Wants=network-online.target
 StartLimitIntervalSec=0
 
 [Service]
-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'
+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'
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=10s

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

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

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

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

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

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
   ],
   "emits": [
     "repo.created",
+    "repo.writable",
     "issue.opened",
     "pull.merged",
     "pull.updated",
@@ -181,6 +182,12 @@
       "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.",
@@ -316,7 +323,8 @@
       "takes-config": [
         "url",
         "keep-main-rules",
-        "main-mergers"
+        "main-mergers",
+        "check-gates-merge"
       ]
     },
     {
@@ -391,6 +399,7 @@
   "provides": [
     {
       "name": "npm-package-registry",
+      "credential": {"form": "pair"},
       "scope": "mesh",
       "identity": {
         "max": 40,
@@ -399,6 +408,7 @@
     },
     {
       "name": "git",
+      "credential": {"form": "none"},
       "scope": "mesh"
     },
     {
@@ -411,6 +421,7 @@
     },
     {
       "name": "forge-account",
+      "credential": {"form": "none"},
       "scope": "mesh"
     }
   ],
@@ -537,6 +548,7 @@
           "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"
         }
       }
@@ -554,11 +566,14 @@
     "announced"
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-controller.assignments",
+    "mesh-provisioner.plans",
+    "mesh-provisioner.provisions",
     "ssh-client.keys",
     "mesh-build-go.keys",
     "mesh-build-node.keys",
     "mesh-build-image.keys",
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.owed"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.owed",
+    "mesh-delivery-indexer.modules",
+    "mesh-delivery-gate.source"
   ]
 }

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

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

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

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

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

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# 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

@@ -100,6 +100,25 @@
       "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

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

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

@@ -665,7 +665,14 @@
       "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"
     },
     {
@@ -758,6 +765,9 @@
       "identity": {
         "max": 64,
         "in": "a mailbox's local part"
+      },
+      "credential": {
+        "form": "pair"
       }
     }
   ],

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

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

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

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   "state": [
     "toolchains",
     "keys",
-    "steps"
+    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -20,14 +20,27 @@
     }
   ],
   "reads": [
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.kept"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.kept",
+    "mesh-delivery-indexer.manifests"
   ],
   "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": "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"
+      "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
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -38,6 +51,7 @@
     "build_go_release",
     "build_go_step",
     "build_go_steps",
+    "build_go_step_end",
     "build_go_toolchains",
     "build_go_status",
     "build_go_health"
@@ -105,7 +119,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-go",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

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

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

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

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   ],
   "state": [
     "keys",
-    "steps"
+    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -20,10 +20,22 @@
   ],
   "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": "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"
+      "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
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -33,6 +45,7 @@
     "build_image_release",
     "build_image_step",
     "build_image_steps",
+    "build_image_step_end",
     "build_image_status",
     "build_image_health"
   ],
@@ -77,7 +90,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-image",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

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

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

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

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   "state": [
     "toolchains",
     "keys",
-    "steps"
+    {"name": "steps", "ttl-seconds": 172800}, "pauses"
   ],
   "claims": [
     {
@@ -21,10 +21,22 @@
   ],
   "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": "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"
+      "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
     }
   },
   "tools": [
@@ -34,6 +46,7 @@
     "build_node_release",
     "build_node_step",
     "build_node_steps",
+    "build_node_step_end",
     "build_node_toolchains",
     "build_node_status",
     "build_node_health"
@@ -99,7 +112,7 @@
       "path": "${dir:state}/settings.json",
       "mode": "0600",
       "owner": "mesh-build-node",
-      "takes-config": ["capacity"],
+      "takes-config": ["capacity", "cores-per-step", "build-hours"],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"
     },

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

@@ -25,9 +25,7 @@
   "secrets": {
     "postgres-database": "${dir:state}/database.secret"
   },
-  "consumes": [
-    "mesh-controller.built-before"
-  ],
+  "consumes": [],
   "emits": [
     "registered",
     "upgraded",
@@ -92,5 +90,12 @@
         "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

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+{
+  "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

@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@
       "name": "mesh-config",
       "scope": "mesh",
       "serves": [
-        "config"
+        "config",
+        "compare",
+        "take-over",
+        "hand-back"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -23,14 +26,30 @@
     "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-controller.assignments",
+    "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.declared-config",
-    "mesh-controller.predefined"
+    "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"
   ],
   "state": [
     "values",
@@ -38,7 +57,9 @@
     "predefined",
     "proposals",
     "pulls",
-    "kept"
+    "kept",
+    "declared",
+    "takeover"
   ],
   "logs": [
     "history"

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

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

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

@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
         "table",
         "stalled",
         "recheck",
-        "close"
+        "close",
+        "settle"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -26,13 +27,17 @@
     "gitea.forge.pull-request.edited",
     "gitea.forge.pull-request.closed",
     "mesh-delivery-forge-bridge.forge.**",
-    "mesh-config.config-changed"
+    "mesh-config.config-changed",
+    "gitea.repo.writable"
   ],
   "emits": [
     "transition",
     "group",
     "merged"
   ],
+  "uses": [
+    "operator-channel"
+  ],
   "invokes": [
     "gitea.gitea_commit_statuses",
     "gitea.gitea_contains",
@@ -57,14 +62,23 @@
     {
       "name": "source",
       "history": 64
+    },
+    "conditions",
+    {
+      "name": "turns",
+      "history": 5
     }
   ],
   "reads": [
     "mesh-delivery-teller.answers",
-    "mesh-delivery-checker.verdicts"
+    "mesh-delivery-checker.verdicts",
+    "mesh-delivery-view.reach"
   ],
   "tools": [
-    "delivery_status"
+    "delivery_hand_now",
+    "delivery_merge_again",
+    "delivery_status",
+    "delivery_turns"
   ],
   "config": {
     "refusal-stall-floor-minutes": {
@@ -82,6 +96,12 @@
       "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": [
@@ -99,7 +119,8 @@
       "mode": "0600",
       "takes-config": [
         "refusal-stall-floor-minutes",
-        "author-new-head-minutes"
+        "author-new-head-minutes",
+        "check-gates-merge"
       ],
       "merge": "json",
       "template": "files/settings.json"

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

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+{
+  "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

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+{
+  "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

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

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

@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
         "propose",
         "import",
         "return",
-        "withdraw"
+        "withdraw",
+        "progress"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -52,13 +53,15 @@
         "propose",
         "import",
         "return",
-        "withdraw"
+        "withdraw",
+        "progress"
       ]
     }
   ],
   "tools": [
     "knowledge_health",
-    "knowledge_highest"
+    "knowledge_highest",
+    "knowledge_marks"
   ],
   "emits": [
     "reserved",
@@ -81,7 +84,14 @@
     "records.records_status",
     "records.records_list",
     "records.records_read",
-    "seat:operator-channel.notify"
+    "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"
   ],
   "config": {
     "judge-model": {

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

@@ -11,11 +11,36 @@
       ]
     }
   ],
+  "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"
+    "collect",
+    "provisions",
+    "plans"
   ],
   "own-secrets": {
     "broker": "${dir:state}/broker"

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

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+{
+  "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

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

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

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

@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@
     "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",
@@ -90,9 +93,13 @@
   ],
   "invokes": [
     "seat:mesh-controller.conditions",
-    "seat:mesh-controller.root-free",
+    "seat:mesh-conditions.conditions",
+    "seat:node-engine.root-free",
     "seat:issue-tracker.tracking"
   ],
+  "reads": [
+    "mesh-conditions.takeover"
+  ],
   "state": [
     "open",
     "sent",

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@@ -5,11 +5,9 @@
     "nfs-share"
   ],
   "reads": [
+    "disk-load.readings",
     "nfs-server.exports"
   ],
-  "invokes": [
-    "seat:mesh-controller.data"
-  ],
   "capabilities": [
     "package-manager",
     "service-manager"
@@ -38,20 +36,20 @@
       "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"
-      },
-      "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"
-      }
+  "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"
+    }
+  },
   "own-secrets": {
     "smb-password-*": {
       "path": "${dir:state}/smb-password-*.secret",

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

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

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

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

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 admin.",
+      "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.",
       "trusted": true,
       "default": ""
     }

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

@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@
     {
       "name": "nfs-share",
       "scope": "mesh",
-      "identity": false
+      "identity": false,
+      "credential": {
+        "form": "none"
+      }
     }
   ],
   "data": {
@@ -45,26 +48,24 @@
     }
   ],
   "reads": [
+    "disk-load.readings",
+    "mesh-delivery-assigner.seat-holders",
     "mounts.shares"
   ],
-  "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"
-      }
+  "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"
+    }
+  },
   "facts": {
     "machines": {
       "path": "/etc/nfs-server/machines",

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@@ -314,6 +314,48 @@
       "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

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# 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

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# 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

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# 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

@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
       "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
-      },
-      "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
-      }
+  "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
+    }
+  },
   "resources": [
     {
       "id": "state",
@@ -139,22 +139,17 @@
         "MESH_BACKUP_DATA": "${dir:state}/data.conf"
       },
       "health": {
-        "kind": "tool",
-        "tool": "backup_health",
-        "interval": "60s",
-        "timeout": "20s",
-        "looks": 2,
-        "grace": "60s"
+        "kind": "unit"
       }
     },
     {
-      "id": "measure",
+      "id": "awake",
       "type": "process",
-      "name": "restic-measure",
+      "name": "restic-awake",
       "artifact": "tools",
       "run": [
         "./restic-backups",
-        "measure"
+        "awake"
       ],
       "user": "${machine:account}",
       "env": {
@@ -165,7 +160,12 @@
         "MESH_BACKUP_DATA": "${dir:state}/data.conf"
       },
       "health": {
-        "kind": "unit"
+        "kind": "tool",
+        "tool": "backup_health",
+        "interval": "60s",
+        "timeout": "20s",
+        "looks": 2,
+        "grace": "60s"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -195,5 +195,11 @@
         "from": "files"
       }
     ]
-  }
+  },
+  "reads": [
+    "disk-load.readings"
+  ],
+  "state": [
+    "good"
+  ]
 }

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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