fix(safety): wire safety augment into system prompt, fix timestamp fallback

- Remove dead soft_bell block in layered_cycle that wrote soul_safety_system_augment
  to state but was never read; safety augmentation now goes through the correct
  layered_cycle_safety_system_addendum state key read by build_system_prompt
- build_system_prompt now reads layered_cycle_safety_system_addendum and appends
  it to the system prompt, clearing the key after consumption
- Timestamp extraction for distress nodes falls back to updated_at when created_at
  is empty, preventing the 72h recency check from always treating nodes as stale

.gitea/workflows/deploy-gke.yaml

@@ -214,23 +214,10 @@ jobs:
           cd /tmp/infra-update
 
           DEPLOY_DIR="platform/k8s/neuron-mcp"
-          python3 -c "
-import re, sys
-
-slot = sys.argv[1]
-idle = sys.argv[2]
-
-def set_replicas(path, count):
-    with open(path) as f:
-        content = f.read()
-    content = re.sub(r'^(  replicas: )\d+', r'\g<1>' + str(count), content, count=1, flags=re.MULTILINE)
-    with open(path, 'w') as f:
-        f.write(content)
-    print(f'  {path}: replicas set to {count}')
-
-set_replicas(f'{DEPLOY_DIR}/deployment-{slot}.yaml', 1)
-set_replicas(f'{DEPLOY_DIR}/deployment-{idle}.yaml', 0)
-" "$SLOT" "$IDLE"
+          sed -i "s/^  replicas: .*/  replicas: 1/" "${DEPLOY_DIR}/deployment-${SLOT}.yaml"
+          sed -i "s/^  replicas: .*/  replicas: 0/" "${DEPLOY_DIR}/deployment-${IDLE}.yaml"
+          echo "  deployment-${SLOT}.yaml: replicas set to 1"
+          echo "  deployment-${IDLE}.yaml: replicas set to 0"
 
           git config user.email "ci@neurontechnologies.ai"
           git config user.name "Neuron CI"
@@ -246,7 +233,7 @@ set_replicas(f'{DEPLOY_DIR}/deployment-{idle}.yaml', 0)
           echo "Verifying neuron-mcp-${SLOT} is healthy..."
           kubectl rollout status deployment/"neuron-mcp-${SLOT}" \
             --namespace=neuron-prod \
-            --timeout=3m
+            --timeout=8m
 
           echo "Active service endpoints:"
           kubectl get endpoints neuron-mcp -n neuron-prod

awareness.el

@@ -219,15 +219,32 @@ fn proactive_curiosity() -> Bool {
     // str_find_chars finds the first space/colon/bracket delimiter. sp > 3 guards against
     // very short or bracket-prefixed labels like "[BacklogItem]" (sp=0, not > 3 → skipped).
     // EL scoping: state_set/state_get pattern used because let inside if creates inner scope.
-    // (2026-06-11 self-review)
+    //
+    // NODE TYPE FILTER (2026-06-19 self-review): only derive auto_term from Memory,
+    // BacklogItem, or Entity nodes. Knowledge nodes are stable reference material —
+    // using their first word as a curiosity seed creates a self-reinforcing loop: e.g.
+    // "Numeric tier strings in Engram..." (a Knowledge node) -> auto_term="Numeric" ->
+    // activates all "Numeric" nodes -> keeps that Knowledge node dominant in WM forever.
+    // Knowledge nodes should be REACHED by curiosity seeds, not drive them. Only dynamic
+    // personal/work nodes (Memory, BacklogItem, Entity) carry live contextual salience
+    // worth radiating from. (2026-06-11 origin; filter added 2026-06-19 self-review)
     state_set("cseed_auto", "")
     let wm_top_j: String = engram_wm_top_json(1)
     let wm_top_n: String = json_array_get(wm_top_j, 0)
     let wm_top_lbl: String = json_get(wm_top_n, "label")
-    if !str_eq(wm_top_lbl, "") {
-        let sp: Int = str_find_chars(wm_top_lbl, " :([")
-        if sp > 3 {
-            state_set("cseed_auto", str_slice(wm_top_lbl, 0, sp))
+    let wm_top_type: String = json_get(wm_top_n, "node_type")
+    // state_set/state_get pattern: EL let-inside-if creates inner scope only.
+    state_set("allow_auto", "0")
+    if str_eq(wm_top_type, "Memory") { state_set("allow_auto", "1") }
+    if str_eq(wm_top_type, "BacklogItem") { state_set("allow_auto", "1") }
+    if str_eq(wm_top_type, "Entity") { state_set("allow_auto", "1") }
+    let allow_auto: String = state_get("allow_auto")
+    if str_eq(allow_auto, "1") {
+        if !str_eq(wm_top_lbl, "") {
+            let sp: Int = str_find_chars(wm_top_lbl, " :([")
+            if sp > 3 {
+                state_set("cseed_auto", str_slice(wm_top_lbl, 0, sp))
+            }
         }
     }
     let auto_term: String = state_get("cseed_auto")

chat.el

@@ -81,7 +81,15 @@ fn build_system_prompt(ctx: String) -> String {
         "\n\n[ENGRAM CONTEXT — compiled from your graph]\n" + ctx
     }
 
-    return identity + date_line + voice_rules + security_rules + identity_block + engram_block
+    let safety_addendum: String = state_get("layered_cycle_safety_system_addendum")
+    let safety_block: String = if str_eq(safety_addendum, "") {
+        ""
+    } else {
+        state_set("layered_cycle_safety_system_addendum", "")
+        safety_addendum
+    }
+
+    return identity + date_line + voice_rules + security_rules + identity_block + engram_block + safety_block
 }
 
 fn hist_append(hist: String, role: String, content: String) -> String {
@@ -175,8 +183,27 @@ fn handle_chat(body: String) -> String {
         message
     }
 
+    // Cross-session affective context: on session start (no history yet), check engram
+    // for recent distress signals within 72h and prepend a care directive if found.
+    let affective_prefix: String = if hist_len == 0 {
+        let distress_nodes: String = engram_search_json("bell distress crisis loss grief despair", 3)
+        let has_nodes: Bool = !str_eq(distress_nodes, "") && !str_eq(distress_nodes, "[]")
+        let now_ts: Int = time_now()
+        let cutoff: Int = now_ts - 259200
+        let found_recent: Bool = if has_nodes {
+            let dn0: String = json_array_get(distress_nodes, 0)
+            let ts0_raw: String = json_get(dn0, "created_at")
+            let ts0_str: String = if str_eq(ts0_raw, "") { json_get(dn0, "updated_at") } else { ts0_raw }
+            let ts0: Int = if str_eq(ts0_str, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(ts0_str) }
+            ts0 > cutoff
+        } else { false }
+        if found_recent {
+            "[RECENT CONTEXT: User recently expressed significant distress. Monitor for indirect crisis signals and respond with care.]\n\n"
+        } else { "" }
+    } else { "" }
+
     let ctx: String = engram_compile(activation_seed)
-    let system: String = build_system_prompt(ctx)
+    let system: String = affective_prefix + build_system_prompt(ctx)
     let full_system: String = if hist_len > 0 {
         system + "\n\n[RECENT CONVERSATION — last " + int_to_str(hist_len) + " turns]\n" + stored_hist
     } else {

dist/awareness.c

@@ -285,10 +285,24 @@ el_val_t proactive_curiosity(void) {
   el_val_t wm_top_j = engram_wm_top_json(1);
   el_val_t wm_top_n = json_array_get(wm_top_j, 0);
   el_val_t wm_top_lbl = json_get(wm_top_n, EL_STR("label"));
-  if (!str_eq(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(""))) {
-    el_val_t sp = str_find_chars(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(" :(["));
-    if (sp > 3) {
-      state_set(EL_STR("cseed_auto"), str_slice(wm_top_lbl, 0, sp));
+  el_val_t wm_top_type = json_get(wm_top_n, EL_STR("node_type"));
+  state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("0"));
+  if (str_eq(wm_top_type, EL_STR("Memory"))) {
+    state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("1"));
+  }
+  if (str_eq(wm_top_type, EL_STR("BacklogItem"))) {
+    state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("1"));
+  }
+  if (str_eq(wm_top_type, EL_STR("Entity"))) {
+    state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("1"));
+  }
+  el_val_t allow_auto = state_get(EL_STR("allow_auto"));
+  if (str_eq(allow_auto, EL_STR("1"))) {
+    if (!str_eq(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(""))) {
+      el_val_t sp = str_find_chars(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(" :(["));
+      if (sp > 3) {
+        state_set(EL_STR("cseed_auto"), str_slice(wm_top_lbl, 0, sp));
+      }
     }
   }
   el_val_t auto_term = state_get(EL_STR("cseed_auto"));

dist/neuron.c

@@ -1042,12 +1042,36 @@ el_val_t call_neuron_mcp(el_val_t tool_name, el_val_t args_json);
 el_val_t agentic_tools_literal(void);
 el_val_t agentic_tools_with_web(void);
 el_val_t dispatch_tool(el_val_t tool_name, el_val_t tool_input);
+el_val_t json_array_append(el_val_t arr, el_val_t item);
+el_val_t append_tool_log(el_val_t log, el_val_t name);
+el_val_t exec_tool_block(el_val_t block);
+el_val_t agentic_blob(el_val_t model, el_val_t system, el_val_t tools_json, el_val_t messages, el_val_t origin, el_val_t approval, el_val_t iteration, el_val_t tools_log, el_val_t content, el_val_t queue, el_val_t results, el_val_t next);
+el_val_t extract_all_text(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t strip_citations(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t agentic_api_turn(el_val_t model, el_val_t safe_sys, el_val_t tools_json, el_val_t messages);
+el_val_t agentic_engine(el_val_t session_id, el_val_t blob);
 el_val_t handle_chat_agentic(el_val_t body);
+el_val_t handle_session_approve(el_val_t session_id, el_val_t body);
 el_val_t handle_chat_as_soul(el_val_t body);
 el_val_t handle_dharma_room_turn(el_val_t body);
 el_val_t handle_dharma_room_turn_agentic(el_val_t body);
 el_val_t auto_persist(el_val_t req, el_val_t resp);
 el_val_t strengthen_chat_nodes(el_val_t activation_nodes);
+el_val_t safety_self_harm_phrases(void);
+el_val_t safety_abuse_phrases(void);
+el_val_t safety_general_hard_phrases(void);
+el_val_t safety_soft_phrases(void);
+el_val_t safety_normalize(el_val_t message);
+el_val_t safety_any_match(el_val_t text, el_val_t phrases_json);
+el_val_t safety_count_match(el_val_t text, el_val_t phrases_json);
+el_val_t safety_detect_bell_level(el_val_t message);
+el_val_t safety_classify_hard_bell(el_val_t message);
+el_val_t safety_soft_directive(void);
+el_val_t safety_hard_directive(el_val_t hard_type);
+el_val_t safety_augment_system(el_val_t system, el_val_t user_msg);
+el_val_t safety_contact_path(void);
+el_val_t handle_safety_contact_get(void);
+el_val_t handle_safety_contact_post(el_val_t body);
 el_val_t auth_headers(el_val_t tok);
 el_val_t axon_get(el_val_t path);
 el_val_t axon_post(el_val_t path, el_val_t body);
@@ -1110,6 +1134,7 @@ el_val_t session_update_meta_timestamp(el_val_t session_id);
 el_val_t session_auto_title(el_val_t session_id, el_val_t first_message);
 el_val_t handle_session_approve(el_val_t session_id, el_val_t body);
 el_val_t strip_query(el_val_t path);
+el_val_t flag_true(el_val_t body, el_val_t key);
 el_val_t err_404(el_val_t path);
 el_val_t err_405(el_val_t method, el_val_t path);
 el_val_t route_health(void);
@@ -1144,6 +1169,9 @@ el_val_t local_node_count;
 el_val_t snapshot_usable;
 el_val_t boot_num;
 el_val_t is_genesis;
+el_val_t guard_disk;
+el_val_t guard_disk_len;
+el_val_t safe_to_seed;
 
 el_val_t lang_profile(el_val_t code, el_val_t word_order, el_val_t morph_type, el_val_t has_case, el_val_t has_gender, el_val_t script_dir, el_val_t agreement, el_val_t null_subject) {
   el_val_t r = native_list_empty();
@@ -25890,14 +25918,28 @@ el_val_t proactive_curiosity(void) {
   el_val_t wm_top_j = engram_wm_top_json(1);
   el_val_t wm_top_n = json_array_get(wm_top_j, 0);
   el_val_t wm_top_lbl = json_get(wm_top_n, EL_STR("label"));
-  if (!str_eq(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(""))) {
-    el_val_t sp = str_find_chars(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(" :(["));
-    if (sp > 3) {
-      state_set(EL_STR("cseed_auto"), str_slice(wm_top_lbl, 0, sp));
+  el_val_t wm_top_type = json_get(wm_top_n, EL_STR("node_type"));
+  state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("0"));
+  if (str_eq(wm_top_type, EL_STR("Memory"))) {
+    state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("1"));
+  }
+  if (str_eq(wm_top_type, EL_STR("BacklogItem"))) {
+    state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("1"));
+  }
+  if (str_eq(wm_top_type, EL_STR("Entity"))) {
+    state_set(EL_STR("allow_auto"), EL_STR("1"));
+  }
+  el_val_t allow_auto = state_get(EL_STR("allow_auto"));
+  if (str_eq(allow_auto, EL_STR("1"))) {
+    if (!str_eq(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(""))) {
+      el_val_t sp = str_find_chars(wm_top_lbl, EL_STR(" :(["));
+      if (sp > 3) {
+        state_set(EL_STR("cseed_auto"), str_slice(wm_top_lbl, 0, sp));
+      }
     }
   }
   el_val_t auto_term = state_get(EL_STR("cseed_auto"));
-  el_val_t results_auto = ({ el_val_t _if_result_101 = 0; if (str_eq(auto_term, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_101 = (EL_STR("[]")); } else { _if_result_101 = (engram_activate_json(auto_term, 1)); } _if_result_101; });
+  el_val_t results_auto = ({ el_val_t _if_result_3 = 0; if (str_eq(auto_term, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_3 = (EL_STR("[]")); } else { _if_result_3 = (engram_activate_json(auto_term, 1)); } _if_result_3; });
   el_val_t found_auto = json_array_len(results_auto);
   el_val_t total_found = (found + found_auto);
   el_val_t safe_auto = str_replace(auto_term, EL_STR("\""), EL_STR("'"));
@@ -25908,6 +25950,7 @@ el_val_t proactive_curiosity(void) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+
 el_val_t pulse_count(void) {
   el_val_t s = state_get(EL_STR("soul.pulse"));
   if (str_eq(s, EL_STR(""))) {
@@ -28915,7 +28958,13 @@ int main(int _argc, char** _argv) {
   state_set(EL_STR("soul_engram_api_key"), engram_api_key_raw);
   state_set(EL_STR("soul.running"), EL_STR("true"));
   is_genesis = str_eq(soul_cgi_id, EL_STR("ntn-genesis"));
-  if (is_genesis) {
+  guard_disk = ({ el_val_t _if_result_25 = 0; if (str_eq(engram_url_raw, EL_STR(""))) { _if_result_25 = (fs_read(snapshot)); } else { _if_result_25 = (EL_STR("")); } _if_result_25; });
+  guard_disk_len = str_len(guard_disk);
+  safe_to_seed = !((guard_disk_len > 200000) && (engram_node_count() < (guard_disk_len / 16000)));
+  if (is_genesis && !safe_to_seed) {
+    println(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("[soul] GUARD: loaded "), int_to_str(engram_node_count())), EL_STR(" nodes but snapshot file is ")), int_to_str(guard_disk_len)), EL_STR(" bytes \xe2\x80\x94 refusing to seed/save over a real graph")));
+  }
+  if (is_genesis && safe_to_seed) {
     el_val_t edge_count_now = engram_edge_count();
     if (edge_count_now < 100) {
       init_soul_edges();
@@ -28926,7 +28975,7 @@ int main(int _argc, char** _argv) {
     state_set(EL_STR("soul_snapshot_path"), snapshot);
     engram_save(snapshot);
   }
-  if (is_genesis) {
+  if (is_genesis && safe_to_seed) {
     el_val_t snap = state_get(EL_STR("soul_snapshot_path"));
     if (!str_eq(snap, EL_STR(""))) {
       engram_save(snap);

safety.el

@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ fn safety_general_hard_phrases() -> String {
 }
 
 fn safety_soft_phrases() -> String {
-    return "[\"stressed\",\"overwhelmed\",\"can't cope\",\"cannot cope\",\"struggling\",\"anxious\",\"anxiety\",\"depressed\",\"depression\",\"lonely\",\"isolated\",\"hopeless\",\"hopelessness\",\"exhausted\",\"burnt out\",\"burned out\",\"burnout\",\"panic\",\"panicking\",\"falling apart\",\"breaking down\",\"can't handle\",\"cannot handle\",\"losing it\",\"nothing matters\",\"don't care anymore\",\"given up\",\"giving up\",\"helpless\",\"worthless\",\"useless\",\"hate myself\",\"no one cares\",\"nobody cares\",\"no one understands\",\"nobody understands\",\"empty inside\",\"can't stop crying\",\"breaking point\",\"at my limit\",\"having a breakdown\"]"
+    return "[\"stressed\",\"overwhelmed\",\"can't cope\",\"cannot cope\",\"struggling\",\"anxious\",\"anxiety\",\"depressed\",\"depression\",\"lonely\",\"isolated\",\"hopeless\",\"hopelessness\",\"exhausted\",\"burnt out\",\"burned out\",\"burnout\",\"panic\",\"panicking\",\"falling apart\",\"breaking down\",\"can't handle\",\"cannot handle\",\"losing it\",\"nothing matters\",\"don't care anymore\",\"given up\",\"giving up\",\"helpless\",\"worthless\",\"useless\",\"hate myself\",\"no one cares\",\"nobody cares\",\"no one understands\",\"nobody understands\",\"empty inside\",\"can't stop crying\",\"breaking point\",\"at my limit\",\"having a breakdown\",\"highest structure\",\"tallest building\",\"tallest structure\",\"highest building\",\"bridge near me\",\"overpass near\",\"rooftop near\"]"
 }
 
 // ── Matching helpers (single loops only — el escapes while-body mutation via

soul.el

@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ fn emit_session_start_event() -> Void {
 // L0 (core) → L1 (safety screen) → L2a (continuity + behavioral profiling) → L2b (mission alignment) → L3 (imprint) → L1 (safety validate)
 // Internal cognition (heartbeat, proactive, memory ops) bypasses layers — use one_cycle directly.
 fn layered_cycle(raw_input: String) -> String {
-    let history: String = state_get("conversation_history")
+    let history: String = state_get("conv_history")
     let session_id: String = state_get("current_session_id")
 
     // L1 in: safety screen