volt: Q63 class repair -- eight assert-only verifiers gain a failure path -O cannot strip

The Q63 stripped-assert population read 0 of the tree from 2026-10-24 until
cycle 6; at 1518f2b it reads 8, measured with the lane's own scanner
(q63_verify_scan.py --repo . --rev WORKTREE): ledger/verify_gdp_artifact,
quill/verify_summary, spark/{verify_csv,verify_dir_analyzer,verify_hermes_skill,
verify_report,verify_result,verify_scratch_analysis}. Every assert in the eight
is now a _check(cond, msg) that raises RuntimeError, so python3 -O no longer
compiles the only failure path away. Each file's exit code is unchanged by the
edit (measured before and after: five rc 0, three rc 1 on host inputs that have
drifted -- verify_summary/quill reads stdin, verify_hermes_skill imports
hermes_tools, verify_report's JSON lost its 'summary' key). No assertion
weakened, no input repointed.

Lane gate rc at this commit: 1 -- the q63 leg now reads 0 stripped-assert, and
eight q65 ledger rows are DRIFT against the blobs edited here until the ledger
commit that follows this one in the same tick.

wizard-work/ledger/verify_gdp_artifact.py

@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
 import csv, sys
 
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 csv_path = '/root/troupe-standup/wizard-work/ledger/gdp_nominal_by_imf_wb_un.csv'
 with open(csv_path) as f:
     rows = list(csv.reader(f))
 
-assert rows, 'csv is empty'
-assert rows[0] == ['Country/Territory', 'IMF(2026)[1]', 'World Bank(2025)[6]', 'United Nations(2024)[7]'], rows[0]
-assert len(rows) == 223, len(rows)
-assert all('mw-parser-output' not in c and 'sr-only' not in c for r in rows for c in r)
+_check(rows, 'csv is empty')
+_check(rows[0] == ['Country/Territory', 'IMF(2026)[1]', 'World Bank(2025)[6]', 'United Nations(2024)[7]'], rows[0])
+_check(len(rows) == 223, len(rows))
+_check(all('mw-parser-output' not in c and 'sr-only' not in c for r in rows for c in r), 'parser junk column')
 # every data row must have exactly 4 cells
-assert all(len(r) == 4 for r in rows)
+_check(all(len(r) == 4 for r in rows), 'a data row does not carry exactly 4 cells')
 print('OK', len(rows) - 1, 'data rows; header + 4 cells/row; no parser junk')

wizard-work/quill/verify_summary.py

@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 import sys
 import json
 
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 expected_rows = 5
 expected_columns = ["name", "age", "salary", "active"]
 expected_age = {
@@ -23,12 +30,12 @@ expected_salary = {
 }
 
 data = json.load(sys.stdin)
-assert data["rows"] == expected_rows, f"rows: {data['rows']}"
-assert data["columns"] == expected_columns, f"columns: {data['columns']}"
+_check(data["rows"] == expected_rows, f"rows: {data['rows']}")
+_check(data["columns"] == expected_columns, f"columns: {data['columns']}")
 age = data["numeric"]["age"]
 for k, v in expected_age.items():
-    assert age[k] == v, f"age.{k}: {age[k]} != {v}"
+    _check(age[k] == v, f"age.{k}: {age[k]} != {v}")
 sal = data["numeric"]["salary"]
 for k, v in expected_salary.items():
-    assert sal[k] == v, f"salary.{k}: {sal[k]} != {v}"
+    _check(sal[k] == v, f"salary.{k}: {sal[k]} != {v}")
 print("VERIFIED")

wizard-work/spark/verify_csv.py

@@ -4,21 +4,28 @@
 import csv
 import json
 
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 # Verify CSV is valid
 with open('/root/.hermes/wizard-outputs/spark/output.csv', 'r') as f:
     reader = csv.DictReader(f)
     rows = list(reader)
 
-assert len(rows) == 2, f"Expected 2 rows, got {len(rows)}"
-assert 'name' in rows[0], "Missing 'name' column"
-assert rows[0]['name'] == 'Alice Smith', f"Wrong name: {rows[0]['name']}"
+_check(len(rows) == 2, f"Expected 2 rows, got {len(rows)}")
+_check('name' in rows[0], "Missing 'name' column")
+_check(rows[0]['name'] == 'Alice Smith', f"Wrong name: {rows[0]['name']}")
 
 # Verify the JSON source was correctly processed
 with open('/root/.hermes/wizard-outputs/spark/sample_data.json', 'r') as f:
     source = json.load(f)
 
-assert len(source) == 2, "Source JSON should have 2 records"
+_check(len(source) == 2, "Source JSON should have 2 records")
 
 print("PASS: CSV is valid with correct data structure")
 print(f"Records: {len(rows)}")
-print(f"Columns: {sorted(rows[0].keys())}")
+print(f"Columns: {sorted(rows[0].keys())}")

wizard-work/spark/verify_dir_analyzer.py

@@ -4,23 +4,30 @@ import subprocess
 import json
 import sys
 
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 # Test JSON mode
 result = subprocess.run(['python3', 'dir_analyzer.py', '/etc', '--json'], 
                        capture_output=True, text=True, cwd='/root/troupe-standup/wizard-work/spark')
 data = json.loads(result.stdout)
 
-assert 'total_files' in data, "Missing total_files"
-assert 'total_size_bytes' in data, "Missing total_size_bytes"
-assert data['total_files'] > 0, "Should find files in /etc"
-assert data['total_size_bytes'] > 0, "Should have size > 0"
+_check('total_files' in data, "Missing total_files")
+_check('total_size_bytes' in data, "Missing total_size_bytes")
+_check(data['total_files'] > 0, "Should find files in /etc")
+_check(data['total_size_bytes'] > 0, "Should have size > 0")
 
 print(f"JSON mode: PASS - {data['total_files']} files, {data['total_size_bytes']} bytes")
 
 # Test text mode
 result2 = subprocess.run(['python3', 'dir_analyzer.py', '/tmp'],
                         capture_output=True, text=True, cwd='/root/troupe-standup/wizard-work/spark')
-assert 'Total files:' in result2.stdout, "Should show file count"
-assert 'Total size:' in result2.stdout, "Should show size"
+_check('Total files:' in result2.stdout, "Should show file count")
+_check('Total size:' in result2.stdout, "Should show size")
 
 print("Text mode: PASS")
-print("All verification tests passed")
+print("All verification tests passed")

wizard-work/spark/verify_hermes_skill.py

@@ -3,27 +3,34 @@
 
 from hermes_tools import skill_view, skills_list
 
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 def main():
     # Check hermes-agent skill is in the list
     skills = skills_list()
     skill_names = [s['name'] for s in skills.get('skills', [])]
     
-    assert 'hermes-agent' in skill_names, "hermes-agent skill not found in catalog"
+    _check('hermes-agent' in skill_names, "hermes-agent skill not found in catalog")
     print("FOUND: hermes-agent skill in catalog")
     
     # Try to view the skill
     skill_content = skill_view(name='hermes-agent')
-    assert 'name' in skill_content or 'description' in skill_content, "Failed to read hermes-agent skill"
+    _check('name' in skill_content or 'description' in skill_content, "Failed to read hermes-agent skill")
     print("SUCCESS: hermes-agent skill contents accessible")
     
     # Extract key functionality areas
     content_str = str(skill_content)
-    assert 'cronjob' in content_str or 'cron' in content_str.lower(), "Missing cronjob functionality"
-    assert 'manage_connections' in content_str or 'connect' in content_str.lower(), "Missing connection management"
+    _check('cronjob' in content_str or 'cron' in content_str.lower(), "Missing cronjob functionality")
+    _check('manage_connections' in content_str or 'connect' in content_str.lower(), "Missing connection management")
     print("VERIFIED: Core Hermes functionalities present in skill")
     
     print("\nAll checks passed - hermes-agent skill is working correctly")
     return True
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main()
+    main()

wizard-work/spark/verify_report.py

@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import json
+
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 report = json.load(open('/root/.hermes/wizard-outputs/spark/validation_report.json'))
-assert report['summary']['valid_count'] == 1, "Expected 1 valid file"
-assert report['summary']['invalid_count'] == 1, "Expected 1 invalid file"
-assert report['test_passed'] == True, "Test should be marked as passed"
+_check(report['summary']['valid_count'] == 1, "Expected 1 valid file")
+_check(report['summary']['invalid_count'] == 1, "Expected 1 invalid file")
+_check(report['test_passed'] == True, "Test should be marked as passed")
 print("All assertions passed")
-exit(0)
+exit(0)

wizard-work/spark/verify_result.py

@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import json
+
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 with open("/root/.hermes/wizard-outputs/spark/scrape_result.json") as f:
     data = json.load(f)
-assert data["title"] == "Example Domain", f"wrong title: {data['title']}"
-assert data["status"] == "success", f"wrong status: {data['status']}"
-print("VALID")
+_check(data["title"] == "Example Domain", f"wrong title: {data['title']}")
+_check(data["status"] == "success", f"wrong status: {data['status']}")
+print("VALID")

wizard-work/spark/verify_scratch_analysis.py

@@ -3,21 +3,28 @@
 import json
 import sys
 
+
+def _check(cond, msg):
+    """A failure path `-O` cannot compile away (Q63: assert-only files exit 0 under -O)."""
+    if not cond:
+        raise RuntimeError(msg)
+
+
 with open("/root/.hermes/wizard-outputs/spark/scratch_analysis.json") as f:
     data = json.load(f)
 
 # Verify required fields
-assert "total_files" in data, "Missing total_files"
-assert "total_bytes" in data, "Missing total_bytes"
-assert "file_types" in data, "Missing file_types"
-assert "files" in data, "Missing files array"
+_check("total_files" in data, "Missing total_files")
+_check("total_bytes" in data, "Missing total_bytes")
+_check("file_types" in data, "Missing file_types")
+_check("files" in data, "Missing files array")
 
 # Verify counts match
-assert data["total_files"] == len(data["files"]), "File count mismatch"
-assert data["total_files"] == 165, f"Expected 165 files, got {data['total_files']}"
-assert 230000 <= data["total_bytes"] <= 250000, f"Total bytes out of range: {data['total_bytes']}"
+_check(data["total_files"] == len(data["files"]), "File count mismatch")
+_check(data["total_files"] == 165, f"Expected 165 files, got {data['total_files']}")
+_check(230000 <= data["total_bytes"] <= 250000, f"Total bytes out of range: {data['total_bytes']}")
 
 print("VERIFICATION PASSED")
 print(f"Total files: {data['total_files']}")
 print(f"Total bytes: {data['total_bytes']}")
-print(f"File types: {data['file_types']}")
+print(f"File types: {data['file_types']}")