# γ close-out — cycle/399 (Phase 4c of cnos#366)

**Cycle:** cnos#399 — release-effector skill (tag/release/branch-cleanup mechanics extracted from operator/SKILL.md).
**Branch:** `cycle/399`.
**Dispatch configuration:** operator/SKILL.md §5.2 (single-session δ-as-γ via Agent tool; γ+α+β collapsed on δ-as-agent).
**β verdict:** R1 APPROVED, no findings.

## Closure gate (gamma/SKILL.md §2.10)

| Row | Item | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | alpha-closeout.md exists at `.cdd/unreleased/399/alpha-closeout.md` | PRESENT |
| 2 | beta-closeout.md exists at `.cdd/unreleased/399/beta-closeout.md` | PRESENT |
| 3 | β verdict is APPROVED (beta-review.md) | YES |
| 4 | self-coherence.md complete through step 7a | YES |
| 5 | All AC oracles PASS mechanically | AC1–AC7 PASS |
| 6 | CDD Trace populated through step 9 (Gate) | YES (α steps 0–7a; β steps 8–9; γ steps below) |
| 7 | Implementation-contract conformance (Rule 7) verified | PASS row-by-row |
| 8 | No binding findings outstanding | None |
| 9 | RELEASE.md not required for skill-only docs cycle | N/A (Phase 4c is a doctrine cycle; will be bundled in the next versioned release as a δ-side surface) |
| 10 | Cycle-dir move not required at this close (not a tagged release) | DEFERRED to next versioned release |
| 11 | gamma-closeout.md (this file) | WRITING |
| 12 | cdd-iteration.md if any cdd-*-gap findings ≥ 1 | See below |

## cdd-*-gap findings

**Empty.** This cycle is a mechanical extraction following an explicit issue-pinned implementation contract; no protocol gaps, skill gaps, tooling gaps, or metric gaps surfaced during execution. The cycle ships per `epsilon/SKILL.md §1` empty-findings convention: cdd-iteration.md is written with explicit "no findings" disposition; INDEX.md row is optional per CDD.md §5.3b row 6.

## Phase 4 status (parent cnos#366)

**Phase 4c (this cycle): COMPLETE.**

| Phase 4 sub | Issue | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 4a — δ-role → delta/SKILL.md | TBD | NOT YET DISPATCHED |
| 4b — harness substrate | TBD | NOT YET DISPATCHED |
| 4c — release-effector | cnos#399 | COMPLETE this cycle |

**Phase 5 (γ shrink) gating note.** Per parent cnos#366: "Phase 5 (γ shrink) ships when all three Phase 4 surfaces are clean." This cycle completes one of the three; Phase 5 is not yet unblocked. Phase 4a and Phase 4b are still required before Phase 5.

The roadmap comment on cnos#366 will note: Phase 4 trio progress — 4c complete; 4a and 4b still pending; Phase 5 remains blocked until both ship.

## TSC grading (γ assessment)

Per release/SKILL.md §3.8 configuration-floor clause: γ-axis capped at A− because cycle/399 ran under §5.2 (γ+α+β collapsed on δ-as-agent; γ/δ separation structurally absent).

- **α**: A — 7 ACs met first pass; no fix-rounds; faithful narration; clean diff.
- **β**: A — honest AC-by-AC review; Rule 7 conformance verified; Phase 4a/4b non-interference verified; no missed findings.
- **γ**: A− — design-and-build executed cleanly under §5.2; mapping plan in design-notes.md tracked through to delivered surface; configuration-floor cap applied.

**C_Σ** = (4.0 · 4.0 · 3.7)^(1/3) ≈ 3.89 → **A** (closest letter grade).

Rounds: 1 (no fix-rounds required).

## Configuration declaration

This cycle ran under operator/SKILL.md §5.2 (single-session δ-as-γ via Agent tool; γ+α+β collapsed on δ-as-agent). The configuration is recorded here for the configuration-floor application above and for any future PRA that bundles this cycle.

## CDD Trace (γ rows)

| Step | Artifact | Skills loaded | Decision |
|------|----------|---------------|----------|
| 11 cycle iteration | cdd-iteration.md (next) | cdd, cdd/post-release | No cdd-*-gap findings (empty-findings cycle) |
| 12 process patching | n/a | cdd | No process patches required |
| 13 closure | gamma-closeout.md (this file) | cdd | Closure declared; ready for merge |

## Cross-references to keep in mind for future cycles

- Phase 4a (when dispatched) MUST relocate operator/SKILL.md §3.4 doctrinal frame to delta/SKILL.md alongside the rest of the δ-role surface. The cross-reference chain into release-effector should be preserved (every release-effector mention of "operator/SKILL.md §3.4" will need to become "delta/SKILL.md §X").
- Phase 4b (when dispatched) should not touch release-effector content; release-effector mechanics are stable as of this cycle.
- The `COHERENCE-CELL.md` "Release as Boundary Effection" prose updated this cycle to name release-effector as the substrate — future cycles citing this passage should reflect the new shape.

## Closure declaration

**Cycle/399 closed.** All closure-gate rows verified above. Ready for merge to main.

---

## Post-merge addendum (cycle/397 Phase 4a interaction)

When cycle/399 reached merge time, cycle/397 (Phase 4a, delta/SKILL.md extraction) had already landed on origin/main. The merge was performed with explicit conflict resolution:

- 2 conflicts in operator/SKILL.md (algorithm step 6+7; §3.5 mid-cycle gate-actions). Both resolved to combine Phase 4a's role-policy delegation (→ delta/SKILL.md) with Phase 4c's mechanics extraction (→ release-effector/SKILL.md).
- delta/SKILL.md (just landed via cycle/397) was post-merge-updated to reflect Phase 4c LANDED status (not pending). Citations to "Phase 4c relocates" → "Phase 4c landed via cycle/399". The mechanics-location column in delta/SKILL.md §1.1 was updated to point Tag-push and Branch-delete rows at release-effector/SKILL.md instead of operator/SKILL.md §3.4.
- 9 skill files now reference release-effector (previously 8 — delta/SKILL.md added via post-merge update).
- Post-merge AC1–AC7 all re-verified PASS.

**Phase 4 status updated:**
- Phase 4a (delta/SKILL.md): LANDED via cycle/397.
- Phase 4b (harness substrate): still pending.
- Phase 4c (release-effector): LANDED this cycle.

**Phase 5 (γ shrink) gating:** still blocked. Two of three Phase 4 surfaces are clean (4a + 4c); Phase 4b (harness substrate) is required before Phase 5 unblocks.
