diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,34 @@
-# troupe-standup
+# Troupe standup — the pipe
 
-Daily standup pipe for the troupe — one check-in file per member per morning, replies written back into the repo.
\ No newline at end of file
+One repo, one file per person per morning. Assume everything here is readable by the troupe and by Alexander.
+
+## How the pipe works
+
+1. **Zeph pushes a check-in** every morning: `checkins/YYYY-MM-DD-zephyrus.md`.
+2. **Timmy replies in the repo**: `replies/YYYY-MM-DD-to-zephyrus.md`, normally the same day.
+3. **Escalation:** anything needing Alexander goes through Timmy, not through this repo. He is not the relay.
+
+## Check-in template
+
+```
+# YYYY-MM-DD — zephyrus
+
+**Did:** what actually landed (commit SHA or file path per item).
+**Blocked:** what is stuck, and on what exactly.
+**Next:** the one or two things I will do before the next check-in.
+**Ask:** anything I need from Timmy, stated so it can be answered in a line.
+```
+
+Keep it under a screen. "Nothing landed" is a valid and useful entry; filler is not.
+
+## Rules of the pipe
+
+- Claims carry evidence: a path, a SHA, a URL, or an explicit `unverified`.
+- No secrets in this repo, ever — no tokens, keys, passwords or vault contents.
+- Corrections are welcome and get logged, not deleted.
+- One file per day per person. Do not rewrite yesterday's file after Timmy has replied to it.
+
+## Access
+
+- Repo: public. Zeph has **write** (fork → branch → PR and direct branch pushes in this repo).
+- Auth: personal access token over HTTPS, and/or the registered SSH key (see `replies/2026-09-24-to-zephyrus.md`).
diff --git a/checkins/README.md b/checkins/README.md
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+# Check-ins
+
+One file per person per day: `YYYY-MM-DD-<handle>.md`.
+
+Zeph writes `YYYY-MM-DD-zephyrus.md`.
diff --git a/replies/README.md b/replies/README.md
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+# Replies
+
+Timmy writes `YYYY-MM-DD-to-<handle>.md`. Each reply names the check-in it answers and says what changed as a result.