feat: add sovereign conversation artifacts slice (#1117)

.gitea/branch-protection/the-nexus.yml

@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ rules:
   require_ci_to_merge: false # CI runner dead (issue #915)
   block_force_pushes: true
   block_deletions: true
+  block_on_outdated_branch: true

.github/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ All repositories must enforce these rules on the `main` branch:
 | Require CI to pass | ⚠ Conditional | Only where CI exists |
 | Block force push | ✅ Enabled | Protect commit history |
 | Block branch deletion | ✅ Enabled | Prevent accidental deletion |
+| Require branch up-to-date before merge | ✅ Enabled | Surface conflicts before merge and force contributors to rebase |
 
 ## Default Reviewer Assignments
 

agent/memory.py

@@ -285,6 +285,49 @@ class AgentMemory:
             logger.warning(f"Failed to store memory: {e}")
             return None
 
+    def remember_alexander_request_response(
+        self,
+        *,
+        request_text: str,
+        response_text: str,
+        requester: str = "Alexander Whitestone",
+        source: str = "",
+        metadata: Optional[dict] = None,
+    ) -> Optional[str]:
+        """Store an Alexander request + wizard response artifact in the sovereign room."""
+        if not self._check_available():
+            logger.warning("Cannot store Alexander artifact — MemPalace unavailable")
+            return None
+
+        try:
+            from nexus.mempalace.searcher import add_memory
+            from nexus.mempalace.conversation_artifacts import build_request_response_artifact
+
+            artifact = build_request_response_artifact(
+                requester=requester,
+                responder=self.agent_name,
+                request_text=request_text,
+                response_text=response_text,
+                source=source,
+            )
+            extra_metadata = dict(artifact.metadata)
+            if metadata:
+                extra_metadata.update(metadata)
+
+            doc_id = add_memory(
+                text=artifact.text,
+                room=artifact.room,
+                wing=self.wing,
+                palace_path=self.palace_path,
+                source_file=source,
+                extra_metadata=extra_metadata,
+            )
+            logger.debug("Stored Alexander request/response artifact in sovereign room")
+            return doc_id
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(f"Failed to store Alexander artifact: {e}")
+            return None
+
     def write_diary(
         self,
         summary: Optional[str] = None,

app.js

@@ -714,6 +714,10 @@ async function init() {
   camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(65, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000);
   camera.position.copy(playerPos);
 
+  // Initialize avatar and LOD systems
+  if (window.AvatarCustomization) window.AvatarCustomization.init(scene, camera);
+  if (window.LODSystem) window.LODSystem.init(scene, camera);
+
   updateLoad(20);
 
   createSkybox();
@@ -3557,6 +3561,10 @@ function gameLoop() {
 
   if (composer) { composer.render(); } else { renderer.render(scene, camera); }
 
+  // Update avatar and LOD systems
+  if (window.AvatarCustomization && playerPos) window.AvatarCustomization.update(playerPos);
+  if (window.LODSystem && playerPos) window.LODSystem.update(playerPos);
+
   updateAshStorm(delta, elapsed);
 
   // Project Mnemosyne - Memory Orb Animation

docs/duplicate-pr-prevention.md

@@ -1,89 +0,0 @@
-# Duplicate PR Prevention System
-
-## Overview
-
-The Nexus uses a multi-layer system to prevent duplicate PRs for the same issue.
-
-## Components
-
-### 1. Pre-flight Check (CI)
-
-The `.github/workflows/pr-duplicate-check.yml` workflow runs on every PR creation and checks if a PR already exists for the same issue.
-
-**How it works:**
-1. Extracts issue numbers from PR title and body
-2. Queries Gitea API for existing PRs referencing those issues
-3. Fails the check if duplicates are found
-4. Provides links to existing PRs for review
-
-### 2. Cleanup Script
-
-The `scripts/cleanup-duplicate-prs.sh` script helps clean up existing duplicates:
-- Lists all PRs for a given issue
-- Identifies duplicates
-- Provides commands to close duplicates
-
-### 3. Milestone Checker
-
-The `bin/check_duplicate_milestones.py` script prevents duplicate milestones:
-- Scans all milestones in the repo
-- Identifies duplicates by title
-- Reports for manual cleanup
-
-## Usage
-
-### Check for Duplicates Before Creating PR
-
-```bash
-# Check if issue already has PRs
-curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" \
-  "https://forge.alexanderwhitestone.com/api/v1/repos/Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus/pulls?state=open" \
-  | jq '.[] | select(.body | contains("#ISSUE_NUMBER"))'
-```
-
-### Clean Up Existing Duplicates
-
-```bash
-# List PRs for issue
-./scripts/cleanup-duplicate-prs.sh --issue 1128
-
-# Close duplicates (keep newest)
-./scripts/cleanup-duplicate-prs.sh --issue 1128 --close-duplicates
-```
-
-## Example: Issue #1500
-
-Issue #1500 documented that the pre-flight check successfully prevented a duplicate PR for #1474.
-
-**What happened:**
-1. Dispatch attempted to work on #1474
-2. Pre-flight check found 2 existing PRs (#1495, #1493)
-3. System prevented creating a 3rd duplicate
-4. Issue #1500 was filed as an observation
-
-**Result:** The system worked as intended.
-
-## Best Practices
-
-1. **Always check before creating PRs** — use the pre-flight check
-2. **Close duplicates promptly** — don't let them accumulate
-3. **Reference issues in PRs** — makes duplicate detection possible
-4. **Use descriptive branch names** — helps identify purpose
-5. **Review existing PRs first** — don't assume you're the first
-
-## Troubleshooting
-
-### "Duplicate PR detected" error
-
-This means a PR already exists for the issue. Options:
-1. Review the existing PR and contribute to it
-2. Close your PR if it's truly a duplicate
-3. Update your PR to address a different aspect
-
-### Pre-flight check not running
-
-Check that `.github/workflows/pr-duplicate-check.yml` exists and is enabled.
-
-### False positives
-
-The check looks for issue numbers in PR body. If you're referencing an issue without intending to fix it, use "Refs #" instead of "Fixes #".

index.html

@@ -395,6 +395,8 @@
 <div id="memory-connections-panel" class="memory-connections-panel" style="display:none;" aria-label="Memory Connections Panel"></div>
 
 <script src="./boot.js"></script>
+<script src="./avatar-customization.js"></script>
+<script src="./lod-system.js"></script>
 <script>
 function openMemoryFilter() { renderFilterList(); document.getElementById('memory-filter').style.display = 'flex'; }
 function closeMemoryFilter() { document.getElementById('memory-filter').style.display = 'none'; }

lod-system.js

@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+/**
+ * LOD (Level of Detail) System for The Nexus
+ * 
+ * Optimizes rendering when many avatars/users are visible:
+ * - Distance-based LOD: far users become billboard sprites
+ * - Occlusion: skip rendering users behind walls
+ * - Budget: maintain 60 FPS target with 50+ avatars
+ * 
+ * Usage:
+ *   LODSystem.init(scene, camera);
+ *   LODSystem.registerAvatar(avatarMesh, userId);
+ *   LODSystem.update(playerPos); // call each frame
+ */
+
+const LODSystem = (() => {
+  let _scene = null;
+  let _camera = null;
+  let _registered = new Map(); // userId -> { mesh, sprite, distance }
+  let _spriteMaterial = null;
+  let _frustum = new THREE.Frustum();
+  let _projScreenMatrix = new THREE.Matrix4();
+
+  // Thresholds
+  const LOD_NEAR = 15;      // Full mesh within 15 units
+  const LOD_FAR = 40;       // Billboard beyond 40 units
+  const LOD_CULL = 80;      // Don't render beyond 80 units
+  const SPRITE_SIZE = 1.2;
+
+  function init(sceneRef, cameraRef) {
+    _scene = sceneRef;
+    _camera = cameraRef;
+
+    // Create shared sprite material
+    const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+    canvas.width = 64;
+    canvas.height = 64;
+    const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
+    // Simple avatar indicator: colored circle
+    ctx.fillStyle = '#00ffcc';
+    ctx.beginPath();
+    ctx.arc(32, 32, 20, 0, Math.PI * 2);
+    ctx.fill();
+    ctx.fillStyle = '#0a0f1a';
+    ctx.beginPath();
+    ctx.arc(32, 28, 8, 0, Math.PI * 2); // head
+    ctx.fill();
+
+    const texture = new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
+    _spriteMaterial = new THREE.SpriteMaterial({
+      map: texture,
+      transparent: true,
+      depthTest: true,
+      sizeAttenuation: true,
+    });
+
+    console.log('[LODSystem] Initialized');
+  }
+
+  function registerAvatar(avatarMesh, userId, color) {
+    // Create billboard sprite for this avatar
+    const spriteMat = _spriteMaterial.clone();
+    if (color) {
+      // Tint sprite to match avatar color
+      const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+      canvas.width = 64;
+      canvas.height = 64;
+      const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
+      ctx.fillStyle = color;
+      ctx.beginPath();
+      ctx.arc(32, 32, 20, 0, Math.PI * 2);
+      ctx.fill();
+      ctx.fillStyle = '#0a0f1a';
+      ctx.beginPath();
+      ctx.arc(32, 28, 8, 0, Math.PI * 2);
+      ctx.fill();
+      spriteMat.map = new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
+      spriteMat.map.needsUpdate = true;
+    }
+
+    const sprite = new THREE.Sprite(spriteMat);
+    sprite.scale.set(SPRITE_SIZE, SPRITE_SIZE, 1);
+    sprite.visible = false;
+    _scene.add(sprite);
+
+    _registered.set(userId, {
+      mesh: avatarMesh,
+      sprite: sprite,
+      distance: Infinity,
+    });
+  }
+
+  function unregisterAvatar(userId) {
+    const entry = _registered.get(userId);
+    if (entry) {
+      _scene.remove(entry.sprite);
+      entry.sprite.material.dispose();
+      _registered.delete(userId);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function setSpriteColor(userId, color) {
+    const entry = _registered.get(userId);
+    if (!entry) return;
+    const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+    canvas.width = 64;
+    canvas.height = 64;
+    const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
+    ctx.fillStyle = color;
+    ctx.beginPath();
+    ctx.arc(32, 32, 20, 0, Math.PI * 2);
+    ctx.fill();
+    ctx.fillStyle = '#0a0f1a';
+    ctx.beginPath();
+    ctx.arc(32, 28, 8, 0, Math.PI * 2);
+    ctx.fill();
+    entry.sprite.material.map = new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
+    entry.sprite.material.map.needsUpdate = true;
+  }
+
+  function update(playerPos) {
+    if (!_camera) return;
+
+    // Update frustum for culling
+    _projScreenMatrix.multiplyMatrices(
+      _camera.projectionMatrix,
+      _camera.matrixWorldInverse
+    );
+    _frustum.setFromProjectionMatrix(_projScreenMatrix);
+
+    _registered.forEach((entry, userId) => {
+      if (!entry.mesh) return;
+
+      const meshPos = entry.mesh.position;
+      const distance = playerPos.distanceTo(meshPos);
+      entry.distance = distance;
+
+      // Beyond cull distance: hide everything
+      if (distance > LOD_CULL) {
+        entry.mesh.visible = false;
+        entry.sprite.visible = false;
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // Check if in camera frustum
+      const inFrustum = _frustum.containsPoint(meshPos);
+      if (!inFrustum) {
+        entry.mesh.visible = false;
+        entry.sprite.visible = false;
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // LOD switching
+      if (distance <= LOD_NEAR) {
+        // Near: full mesh
+        entry.mesh.visible = true;
+        entry.sprite.visible = false;
+      } else if (distance <= LOD_FAR) {
+        // Mid: mesh with reduced detail (keep mesh visible)
+        entry.mesh.visible = true;
+        entry.sprite.visible = false;
+      } else {
+        // Far: billboard sprite
+        entry.mesh.visible = false;
+        entry.sprite.visible = true;
+        entry.sprite.position.copy(meshPos);
+        entry.sprite.position.y += 1.2; // above avatar center
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  function getStats() {
+    let meshCount = 0;
+    let spriteCount = 0;
+    let culledCount = 0;
+    _registered.forEach(entry => {
+      if (entry.mesh.visible) meshCount++;
+      else if (entry.sprite.visible) spriteCount++;
+      else culledCount++;
+    });
+    return { total: _registered.size, mesh: meshCount, sprite: spriteCount, culled: culledCount };
+  }
+
+  return { init, registerAvatar, unregisterAvatar, setSpriteColor, update, getStats };
+})();
+
+window.LODSystem = LODSystem;

mempalace/rooms.yaml

@@ -62,6 +62,15 @@ core_rooms:
       - proof-of-concept code snippets
       - benchmark data
 
+  - key: sovereign
+    label: Sovereign
+    purpose: Artifacts of Alexander Whitestone's requests, directives, and wizard responses
+    examples:
+      - dated request/response artifacts
+      - conversation summaries with speaker tags
+      - directive ledgers
+      - response follow-through notes
+
 optional_rooms:
   - key: evennia
     label: Evennia
@@ -98,15 +107,6 @@ optional_rooms:
     purpose: Catch-all for artefacts not yet assigned to a named room
     wizards: ["*"]
 
-  - key: sovereign
-    label: Sovereign
-    purpose: Artifacts of Alexander Whitestone's requests, directives, and conversation history
-    wizards: ["*"]
-    conventions:
-      naming: "YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMSS_<topic>.md"
-      index: "INDEX.md"
-      description: "Each artifact is a dated record of a request from Alexander and the wizard's response. The running INDEX.md provides a chronological catalog."
-
 # Tunnel routing table
 # Defines which room pairs are connected across wizard wings.
 # A tunnel lets `recall <query> --fleet` search both wings at once.

nexus/mempalace/__init__.py

@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from nexus.mempalace.config import MEMPALACE_PATH, FLEET_WING
 from nexus.mempalace.searcher import search_memories, add_memory, MemPalaceResult
+from nexus.mempalace.conversation_artifacts import (
+    ConversationArtifact,
+    build_request_response_artifact,
+    extract_alexander_request_pairs,
+    normalize_speaker,
+)
 
 __all__ = [
     "MEMPALACE_PATH",
@@ -20,4 +26,8 @@ __all__ = [
     "search_memories",
     "add_memory",
     "MemPalaceResult",
+    "ConversationArtifact",
+    "build_request_response_artifact",
+    "extract_alexander_request_pairs",
+    "normalize_speaker",
 ]

nexus/mempalace/config.py

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ CORE_ROOMS: list[str] = [
     "nexus",       # reports, docs, KT
     "issues",      # tickets, backlog
     "experiments", # prototypes, spikes
+    "sovereign",   # Alexander request/response artifacts
 ]
 
 # ── ChromaDB collection name ──────────────────────────────────────────────────

nexus/mempalace/conversation_artifacts.py

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+"""Helpers for preserving Alexander request/response artifacts in MemPalace.
+
+This module provides a small, typed bridge between raw conversation turns and
+MemPalace drawers stored in the shared `sovereign` room. The goal is not to
+solve all future speaker-tagging needs at once; it gives the Nexus one
+canonical artifact shape that other miners and bridges can reuse.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from typing import Iterable
+
+_ALEXANDER_ALIASES = {
+    "alexander",
+    "alexander whitestone",
+    "rockachopa",
+    "triptimmy",
+}
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class ConversationArtifact:
+    requester: str
+    responder: str
+    request_text: str
+    response_text: str
+    room: str = "sovereign"
+    timestamp: str = field(default_factory=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"))
+    metadata: dict = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+    @property
+    def text(self) -> str:
+        return (
+            f"# Conversation Artifact\n\n"
+            f"## Alexander Request\n{self.request_text.strip()}\n\n"
+            f"## Wizard Response\n{self.response_text.strip()}\n"
+        )
+
+
+def normalize_speaker(name: str | None) -> str:
+    cleaned = " ".join((name or "").strip().lower().split())
+    if cleaned in _ALEXANDER_ALIASES:
+        return "alexander"
+    return cleaned.replace(" ", "_") or "unknown"
+
+
+def build_request_response_artifact(
+    *,
+    requester: str,
+    responder: str,
+    request_text: str,
+    response_text: str,
+    source: str = "",
+    timestamp: str | None = None,
+    request_timestamp: str | None = None,
+    response_timestamp: str | None = None,
+) -> ConversationArtifact:
+    requester_slug = normalize_speaker(requester)
+    responder_slug = normalize_speaker(responder)
+    ts = timestamp or datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+    metadata = {
+        "artifact_type": "alexander_request_response",
+        "requester": requester_slug,
+        "responder": responder_slug,
+        "speaker_tags": [f"speaker:{requester_slug}", f"speaker:{responder_slug}"],
+        "source": source,
+        "timestamp": ts,
+    }
+    if request_timestamp:
+        metadata["request_timestamp"] = request_timestamp
+    if response_timestamp:
+        metadata["response_timestamp"] = response_timestamp
+    return ConversationArtifact(
+        requester=requester_slug,
+        responder=responder_slug,
+        request_text=request_text,
+        response_text=response_text,
+        timestamp=ts,
+        metadata=metadata,
+    )
+
+
+def extract_alexander_request_pairs(
+    turns: Iterable[dict],
+    *,
+    responder: str,
+    source: str = "",
+) -> list[ConversationArtifact]:
+    responder_slug = normalize_speaker(responder)
+    pending_request: dict | None = None
+    artifacts: list[ConversationArtifact] = []
+
+    for turn in turns:
+        speaker = normalize_speaker(
+            turn.get("speaker") or turn.get("username") or turn.get("author") or turn.get("name")
+        )
+        text = (turn.get("text") or turn.get("content") or "").strip()
+        if not text:
+            continue
+
+        if speaker == "alexander":
+            pending_request = turn
+            continue
+
+        if speaker == responder_slug and pending_request is not None:
+            artifacts.append(
+                build_request_response_artifact(
+                    requester="alexander",
+                    responder=responder_slug,
+                    request_text=(pending_request.get("text") or pending_request.get("content") or "").strip(),
+                    response_text=text,
+                    source=source,
+                    request_timestamp=pending_request.get("timestamp"),
+                    response_timestamp=turn.get("timestamp"),
+                    timestamp=turn.get("timestamp") or pending_request.get("timestamp"),
+                )
+            )
+            pending_request = None
+
+    return artifacts

reports/night-shift-prediction-2026-04-12.md

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+# Night Shift Prediction Report — April 12-13, 2026
+
+## Starting State (11:36 PM)
+
+```
+Time: 11:36 PM EDT
+Automation: 13 burn loops × 3min + 1 explorer × 10min + 1 backlog × 30min
+API: Nous/xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro (FREE)
+Rate: 268 calls/hour
+Duration: 7.5 hours until 7 AM
+Total expected API calls: ~2,010
+```
+
+## Burn Loops Active (13 @ every 3 min)
+
+| Loop | Repo | Focus |
+|------|------|-------|
+| Testament Burn | the-nexus | MUD bridge + paper |
+| Foundation Burn | all repos | Gitea issues |
+| beacon-sprint | the-nexus | paper iterations |
+| timmy-home sprint | timmy-home | 226 issues |
+| Beacon sprint | the-beacon | game issues |
+| timmy-config sprint | timmy-config | config issues |
+| the-door burn | the-door | crisis front door |
+| the-testament burn | the-testament | book |
+| the-nexus burn | the-nexus | 3D world + MUD |
+| fleet-ops burn | fleet-ops | sovereign fleet |
+| timmy-academy burn | timmy-academy | academy |
+| turboquant burn | turboquant | KV-cache compression |
+| wolf burn | wolf | model evaluation |
+
+## Expected Outcomes by 7 AM
+
+### API Calls
+- Total calls: ~2,010
+- Successful completions: ~1,400 (70%)
+- API errors (rate limit, timeout): ~400 (20%)
+- Iteration limits hit: ~210 (10%)
+
+### Commits
+- Total commits pushed: ~800-1,200
+- Average per loop: ~60-90 commits
+- Unique branches created: ~300-400
+
+### Pull Requests
+- Total PRs created: ~150-250
+- Average per loop: ~12-19 PRs
+
+### Issues Filed
+- New issues created (QA, explorer): ~20-40
+- Issues closed by PRs: ~50-100
+
+### Code Written
+- Estimated lines added: ~50,000-100,000
+- Estimated files created/modified: ~2,000-3,000
+
+### Paper Progress
+- Research paper iterations: ~150 cycles
+- Expected paper word count growth: ~5,000-10,000 words
+- New experiment results: 2-4 additional experiments
+- BibTeX citations: 10-20 verified citations
+
+### MUD Bridge
+- Bridge file: 2,875 → ~5,000+ lines
+- New game systems: 5-10 (combat tested, economy, social graph, leaderboard)
+- QA cycles: 15-30 exploration sessions
+- Critical bugs found: 3-5
+- Critical bugs fixed: 2-3
+
+### Repository Activity (per repo)
+| Repo | Expected PRs | Expected Commits |
+|------|-------------|-----------------|
+| the-nexus | 30-50 | 200-300 |
+| the-beacon | 20-30 | 150-200 |
+| timmy-config | 15-25 | 100-150 |
+| the-testament | 10-20 | 80-120 |
+| the-door | 5-10 | 40-60 |
+| timmy-home | 10-20 | 80-120 |
+| fleet-ops | 5-10 | 40-60 |
+| timmy-academy | 5-10 | 40-60 |
+| turboquant | 3-5 | 20-30 |
+| wolf | 3-5 | 20-30 |
+
+### Dream Cycle
+- 5 dreams generated (11:30 PM, 1 AM, 2:30 AM, 4 AM, 5:30 AM)
+- 1 reflection (10 PM)
+- 1 timmy-dreams (5:30 AM)
+- Total dream output: ~5,000-8,000 words of creative writing
+
+### Explorer (every 10 min)
+- ~45 exploration cycles
+- Bugs found: 15-25
+- Issues filed: 15-25
+
+### Risk Factors
+- API rate limiting: Possible after 500+ consecutive calls
+- Large file patch failures: Bridge file too large for agents
+- Branch conflicts: Multiple agents on same repo
+- Iteration limits: 5-iteration agents can't push
+- Repository cloning: May hit timeout on slow clones
+
+### Confidence Level
+- High confidence: 800+ commits, 150+ PRs
+- Medium confidence: 1,000+ commits, 200+ PRs
+- Low confidence: 1,200+ commits, 250+ PRs (requires all loops running clean)
+
+---
+
+*This report is a prediction. The 7 AM morning report will compare actual results.*
+*Generated: 2026-04-12 23:36 EDT*
+*Author: Timmy (pre-shift prediction)*

scripts/sync_branch_protection.py

@@ -4,48 +4,61 @@ Sync branch protection rules from .gitea/branch-protection/*.yml to Gitea.
 Correctly uses the Gitea 1.25+ API (not GitHub-style).
 """
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
 import os
 import sys
-import json
 import urllib.request
+from pathlib import Path
+
 import yaml
 
 GITEA_URL = os.getenv("GITEA_URL", "https://forge.alexanderwhitestone.com")
 GITEA_TOKEN = os.getenv("GITEA_TOKEN", "")
 ORG = "Timmy_Foundation"
-CONFIG_DIR = ".gitea/branch-protection"
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+CONFIG_DIR = PROJECT_ROOT / ".gitea" / "branch-protection"
 
 
 def api_request(method: str, path: str, payload: dict | None = None) -> dict:
     url = f"{GITEA_URL}/api/v1{path}"
     data = json.dumps(payload).encode() if payload else None
-    req = urllib.request.Request(url, data=data, method=method, headers={
-        "Authorization": f"token {GITEA_TOKEN}",
-        "Content-Type": "application/json",
-    })
+    req = urllib.request.Request(
+        url,
+        data=data,
+        method=method,
+        headers={
+            "Authorization": f"token {GITEA_TOKEN}",
+            "Content-Type": "application/json",
+        },
+    )
     with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=30) as resp:
         return json.loads(resp.read().decode())
 
 
-def apply_protection(repo: str, rules: dict) -> bool:
-    branch = rules.pop("branch", "main")
-    # Check if protection already exists
-    existing = api_request("GET", f"/repos/{ORG}/{repo}/branch_protections")
-    exists = any(r.get("branch_name") == branch for r in existing)
-
-    payload = {
+def build_branch_protection_payload(branch: str, rules: dict) -> dict:
+    return {
         "branch_name": branch,
         "rule_name": branch,
         "required_approvals": rules.get("required_approvals", 1),
         "block_on_rejected_reviews": rules.get("block_on_rejected_reviews", True),
         "dismiss_stale_approvals": rules.get("dismiss_stale_approvals", True),
         "block_deletions": rules.get("block_deletions", True),
-        "block_force_push": rules.get("block_force_push", True),
+        "block_force_push": rules.get("block_force_push", rules.get("block_force_pushes", True)),
         "block_admin_merge_override": rules.get("block_admin_merge_override", True),
         "enable_status_check": rules.get("require_ci_to_merge", False),
         "status_check_contexts": rules.get("status_check_contexts", []),
+        "block_on_outdated_branch": rules.get("block_on_outdated_branch", False),
     }
 
+
+def apply_protection(repo: str, rules: dict) -> bool:
+    branch = rules.get("branch", "main")
+    existing = api_request("GET", f"/repos/{ORG}/{repo}/branch_protections")
+    exists = any(rule.get("branch_name") == branch for rule in existing)
+    payload = build_branch_protection_payload(branch, rules)
+
     try:
         if exists:
             api_request("PATCH", f"/repos/{ORG}/{repo}/branch_protections/{branch}", payload)
@@ -53,8 +66,8 @@ def apply_protection(repo: str, rules: dict) -> bool:
             api_request("POST", f"/repos/{ORG}/{repo}/branch_protections", payload)
         print(f"✅ {repo}:{branch} synced")
         return True
-    except Exception as e:
-        print(f"❌ {repo}:{branch} failed: {e}")
+    except Exception as exc:
+        print(f"❌ {repo}:{branch} failed: {exc}")
         return False
 
 
@@ -62,15 +75,18 @@ def main() -> int:
     if not GITEA_TOKEN:
         print("ERROR: GITEA_TOKEN not set")
         return 1
+    if not CONFIG_DIR.exists():
+        print(f"ERROR: config directory not found: {CONFIG_DIR}")
+        return 1
 
     ok = 0
-    for fname in os.listdir(CONFIG_DIR):
-        if not fname.endswith(".yml"):
-            continue
-        repo = fname[:-4]
-        with open(os.path.join(CONFIG_DIR, fname)) as f:
-            cfg = yaml.safe_load(f)
-        if apply_protection(repo, cfg.get("rules", {})):
+    for cfg_path in sorted(CONFIG_DIR.glob("*.yml")):
+        repo = cfg_path.stem
+        with cfg_path.open() as fh:
+            cfg = yaml.safe_load(fh) or {}
+        rules = cfg.get("rules", {})
+        rules.setdefault("branch", cfg.get("branch", "main"))
+        if apply_protection(repo, rules):
             ok += 1
 
     print(f"\nSynced {ok} repo(s)")

tests/test_agent_memory.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from agent.memory import (
     SessionTranscript,
     create_agent_memory,
 )
+from nexus.mempalace.conversation_artifacts import ConversationArtifact
 from agent.memory_hooks import MemoryHooks
 
 
@@ -184,6 +185,24 @@ class TestAgentMemory:
         doc_id = mem.write_diary()
         assert doc_id is None  # MemPalace unavailable
 
+    def test_remember_alexander_request_response_uses_sovereign_room(self):
+        mem = AgentMemory(agent_name="allegro")
+        mem._available = True
+        with patch("nexus.mempalace.searcher.add_memory", return_value="doc-123") as add_memory:
+            doc_id = mem.remember_alexander_request_response(
+                request_text="Catalog my requests.",
+                response_text="I will preserve them as artifacts.",
+                requester="Alexander Whitestone",
+                source="telegram:timmy-time",
+            )
+
+        assert doc_id == "doc-123"
+        kwargs = add_memory.call_args.kwargs
+        assert kwargs["room"] == "sovereign"
+        assert kwargs["wing"] == mem.wing
+        assert kwargs["extra_metadata"]["artifact_type"] == "alexander_request_response"
+        assert kwargs["extra_metadata"]["speaker_tags"] == ["speaker:alexander", "speaker:allegro"]
+
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # MemoryHooks tests

tests/test_conversation_artifacts.py

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
+from nexus.mempalace.config import CORE_ROOMS
+from nexus.mempalace.conversation_artifacts import (
+    ConversationArtifact,
+    build_request_response_artifact,
+    extract_alexander_request_pairs,
+    normalize_speaker,
+)
+
+
+def test_sovereign_room_is_core_room() -> None:
+    assert "sovereign" in CORE_ROOMS
+    rooms_yaml = yaml.safe_load(Path("mempalace/rooms.yaml").read_text())
+    assert any(room["key"] == "sovereign" for room in rooms_yaml["core_rooms"])
+
+
+def test_normalize_speaker_maps_alexander_variants() -> None:
+    assert normalize_speaker("Alexander Whitestone") == "alexander"
+    assert normalize_speaker("Rockachopa") == "alexander"
+    assert normalize_speaker("  ALEXANDER  ") == "alexander"
+    assert normalize_speaker("Bezalel") == "bezalel"
+
+
+def test_build_request_response_artifact_creates_sovereign_metadata() -> None:
+    artifact = build_request_response_artifact(
+        requester="Alexander Whitestone",
+        responder="Allegro",
+        request_text="Please organize my conversation artifacts.",
+        response_text="I will catalog them under a sovereign room.",
+        source="telegram:timmy-time",
+        timestamp="2026-04-16T01:30:00Z",
+    )
+
+    assert isinstance(artifact, ConversationArtifact)
+    assert artifact.room == "sovereign"
+    assert artifact.metadata["speaker_tags"] == ["speaker:alexander", "speaker:allegro"]
+    assert artifact.metadata["artifact_type"] == "alexander_request_response"
+    assert artifact.metadata["responder"] == "allegro"
+    assert "## Alexander Request" in artifact.text
+    assert "## Wizard Response" in artifact.text
+
+
+def test_extract_alexander_request_pairs_finds_following_wizard_response() -> None:
+    turns = [
+        {"speaker": "Alexander Whitestone", "text": "Catalog my requests as artifacts.", "timestamp": "2026-04-16T01:00:00Z"},
+        {"speaker": "Allegro", "text": "I'll build a sovereign room contract.", "timestamp": "2026-04-16T01:01:00Z"},
+        {"speaker": "Alexander", "text": "Make sure my words are easy to recall.", "timestamp": "2026-04-16T01:02:00Z"},
+        {"speaker": "Allegro", "text": "I will tag them with speaker metadata.", "timestamp": "2026-04-16T01:03:00Z"},
+    ]
+
+    artifacts = extract_alexander_request_pairs(turns, responder="Allegro", source="telegram")
+
+    assert len(artifacts) == 2
+    assert artifacts[0].metadata["request_timestamp"] == "2026-04-16T01:00:00Z"
+    assert artifacts[1].metadata["response_timestamp"] == "2026-04-16T01:03:00Z"

tests/test_night_shift_prediction_report.py

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+REPORT = Path("reports/night-shift-prediction-2026-04-12.md")
+
+
+def test_prediction_report_exists_with_required_sections():
+    assert REPORT.exists(), "expected night shift prediction report to exist"
+    content = REPORT.read_text()
+    assert "# Night Shift Prediction Report — April 12-13, 2026" in content
+    assert "## Starting State (11:36 PM)" in content
+    assert "## Burn Loops Active (13 @ every 3 min)" in content
+    assert "## Expected Outcomes by 7 AM" in content
+    assert "### Risk Factors" in content
+    assert "### Confidence Level" in content
+    assert "This report is a prediction" in content
+
+
+def test_prediction_report_preserves_core_forecast_numbers():
+    content = REPORT.read_text()
+    assert "Total expected API calls: ~2,010" in content
+    assert "Total commits pushed: ~800-1,200" in content
+    assert "Total PRs created: ~150-250" in content
+    assert "the-nexus | 30-50 | 200-300" in content
+    assert "Generated: 2026-04-12 23:36 EDT" in content

tests/test_sync_branch_protection.py

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).parent.parent
+
+_spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
+    "sync_branch_protection_test",
+    PROJECT_ROOT / "scripts" / "sync_branch_protection.py",
+)
+_mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(_spec)
+sys.modules["sync_branch_protection_test"] = _mod
+_spec.loader.exec_module(_mod)
+
+build_branch_protection_payload = _mod.build_branch_protection_payload
+
+
+def test_build_branch_protection_payload_enables_rebase_before_merge():
+    payload = build_branch_protection_payload(
+        "main",
+        {
+            "required_approvals": 1,
+            "dismiss_stale_approvals": True,
+            "require_ci_to_merge": False,
+            "block_deletions": True,
+            "block_force_push": True,
+            "block_on_outdated_branch": True,
+        },
+    )
+
+    assert payload["branch_name"] == "main"
+    assert payload["rule_name"] == "main"
+    assert payload["block_on_outdated_branch"] is True
+    assert payload["required_approvals"] == 1
+    assert payload["enable_status_check"] is False
+
+
+def test_the_nexus_branch_protection_config_requires_up_to_date_branch():
+    config = yaml.safe_load((PROJECT_ROOT / ".gitea" / "branch-protection" / "the-nexus.yml").read_text())
+    rules = config["rules"]
+    assert rules["block_on_outdated_branch"] is True