# α self-coherence — Cycle 417

**Cycle:** [cnos#417](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/issues/417) — Sub 3 of [cnos#404](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/issues/404).
**Branch:** `cycle/417` from `origin/main @ f2430329`.
**Mode:** γ+α+β collapsed on δ; docs-only / package migration.
**Date:** 2026-05-22.

## Summary

Sub 3 of the cnos#404 handoff/coordination extraction wave is α-complete. The dispatch + implementation-contract + δ-inward-membrane doctrine moved from three source surfaces (`cdd/gamma/SKILL.md §2.5` dispatch sub-blocks; `cdd/operator/SKILL.md §3a`; `cdd/delta/SKILL.md §2`) into a new canonical home at `cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md` (417 lines synthesizing the three source sections). Each source section became a short pointer (9 / 5 / 21 lines respectively). Canonical-authority citations in `cdd/{alpha,beta,delta}/SKILL.md` were re-pointed at the new canonical home. HANDOFF.md surfaces dispatch as Landed. extraction-map.md §2 + §3 are marked v0.1 migrated.

The synthesis pattern is the load-bearing structural choice: the three source sections were not three files moved verbatim — they were three sections of three different files, each carrying complementary content (γ-side template + δ-side enrichment doctrine + operator-side relocation pointer). The new `dispatch/SKILL.md` unifies them into one cohesive document with the natural shape: §1 Define → §2 Unfold (prompt formats / rules / template / spec-staleness) → §3 δ as inward membrane → §4 Rules → §5 Empirical anchors → §6 Verify → §7 Related documents → §8 Non-goals → §9 Kata. The 7-axis schema and the inward-membrane doctrine are co-located because the enforcement mechanism (δ enrichment) and the schema only function together.

## Deliverables landed

| ID | Deliverable | Location | Lines | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | New dispatch sub-skill | `src/packages/cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md` | 417 | landed |
| D2 | gamma/SKILL.md §2.5 dispatch sub-blocks → pointer | `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/gamma/SKILL.md` | 9 (pointer block) | landed |
| D3 | operator/SKILL.md §3a → pointer | `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/operator/SKILL.md` | 5 (pointer block) | landed |
| D4 | delta/SKILL.md §2 → pointer | `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/delta/SKILL.md` | 21 (pointer block) | landed |
| D5 | HANDOFF.md sub-surfaces → dispatch Landed | `src/packages/cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/HANDOFF.md` | — | landed |
| D6 | extraction-map.md §2+§3 → v0.1 migrated | `src/packages/cnos.handoff/docs/extraction-map.md` | — | landed |
| D7 | Cross-ref repair (consumers) | cdd: alpha, beta, delta, README; handoff: README + SKILL.md loader | — | landed |

## AC matrix — α witness (all 11 ACs PASS)

### AC1: required files exist ✓

```
$ test -f src/packages/cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md  # OK
$ test -f src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/gamma/SKILL.md             # OK
$ test -f src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/operator/SKILL.md          # OK
$ test -f src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/delta/SKILL.md             # OK
```

### AC2: ≥ 5 keyword hits in new dispatch/SKILL.md ✓

```
$ rg -c "dispatch-prompt|implementation contract|7 axes|inward membrane|gamma-clarification" \
    src/packages/cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md
41
```

41 ≥ 5; PASS.

### AC3: source sections are pointers, not full content ✓

```
$ wc -l (pointer blocks)
gamma:    9 lines  (was lines 200–270 inline; ≈70 lines pre-migration)
operator: 5 lines  (already a relocation pointer pre-#417; re-pointed)
delta:    21 lines (was lines 141–183 inline; 43 lines pre-migration)
```

All ≤ 30; PASS.

```
$ rg -c "cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch" \
    src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/{gamma,operator,delta}/SKILL.md
delta: 4 hits
operator: 1 hit
gamma: 1 hit
```

6 ≥ 3 distinct files; PASS.

### AC4: 7-axis table present in dispatch/SKILL.md ✓

All 7 axes present as named rows:

```
$ rg -c "Language|CLI integration target|Package scoping|Existing-binary disposition|Runtime dependencies|JSON/wire contract|Backward-compat" \
    src/packages/cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md
18
```

18 distinct matches across the file (the schema table + the kata + the §3 inward-membrane enumeration); PASS.

### AC5: δ-inward-membrane authority preserved ✓

```
$ rg -c "implementation-contract decisions belong to δ|α MUST NOT improvise|inward membrane|mid-flight" \
    src/packages/cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md
16
```

16 ≥ 3; PASS. Key load-bearing claim "implementation-contract decisions belong to δ; α MUST NOT improvise" appears verbatim in §3.

### AC6: HANDOFF.md updated ✓

`dispatch` row moved from "Forthcoming (Subs 3–5)" to "Landed (v0.1)"; line cites cnos#417 as the Sub 3 closing cycle; non-goals section also updated to include dispatch-prompt template + 7-axis schema in the no-redesign list.

### AC7: source role-skills mostly preserved ✓

| File | Original lines | New lines | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| `cdd/gamma/SKILL.md` | 499 | 437 | 87.5% (≥ 80% PASS) |
| `cdd/operator/SKILL.md` | 533 | 533 | 100.0% (≥ 80% PASS) |
| `cdd/delta/SKILL.md` | 344 | 319 | 92.7% (≥ 80% PASS) |

### AC8: no old-section-as-canonical citations remain ✓

```
$ rg "gamma/SKILL\.md §2\.5.*canonical|operator/SKILL\.md §3a.*canonical|delta/SKILL\.md §2.*canonical" \
    src/packages/cnos.cdd/ src/packages/cnos.cds/ src/packages/cnos.cdr/
(no output)
```

0 hits; PASS.

### AC9: cnos.cdr untouched ✓

```
$ git diff origin/main..HEAD --stat -- src/packages/cnos.cdr/
(no output)
```

0 lines changed; PASS. (Consistent with Sub 2 verification — cdr has no canonical dispatch cites.)

### AC10: no out-of-scope changes ✓

```
$ test ! -d schemas/ccnf-o        # absent
$ test ! -d schemas/handoff       # absent
$ git diff origin/main..HEAD --stat -- src/packages/cnos.cdd/commands/cdd-verify/ src/go/ scripts/release.sh
(no output)
```

No CCNF-O / new schemas / cdd-verify / runtime / release.sh changes; PASS.

### AC11: extraction-map.md Sub 3 rows updated ✓

```
$ rg -c "v0\.1 migrated.*dispatch|canonical at cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch" \
    src/packages/cnos.handoff/docs/extraction-map.md
12
```

12 ≥ 1 hits across §2 and §3 (section preambles + table rows); PASS.

## Implementation-contract conformance (β Rule 7 self-check)

Per the implementation contract pinned in the dispatch:

| Axis | Pinned value | Diff conforms? |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Markdown | ✓ — all touched files are .md |
| CLI integration target | None | ✓ — no CLI changes |
| Package scoping | New file at `cnos.handoff/skills/handoff/dispatch/SKILL.md`; section-level edits in `cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/{gamma,operator,delta,alpha,beta}/SKILL.md`; HANDOFF.md update; extraction-map update; cross-ref repairs | ✓ — diff stays within the named paths; cdr untouched; commands/ untouched; src/go untouched |
| Existing-binary disposition | N/A | ✓ — no binaries |
| Runtime dependencies | None | ✓ — no deps |
| JSON/wire contract | N/A | ✓ — no wire change |
| Backward compat | Section-level pointers preserve §-anchor citations | ✓ — `gamma/SKILL.md §2.5`, `operator/SKILL.md §3a`, `delta/SKILL.md §2` all still resolve; pointer content names the new canonical path |

## Resumption

Self-coherence complete. β can review on this artifact path; γ can close the cycle once β APPROVE-s.
