# Initial Draft Assessment - Chapter 09

Source: `output/drafts/claude/chapter_09.round_01.md`

Verdict: ACCEPT AS BASE WITH REPAIRS.

## Strengths To Preserve

- The worksite engine is concrete and chapter-specific: tape scoring, toggle holes, raking light, color match, crate pickup, walk-through, clock-out app.
- Nia's Philadelphia seed is materially good without becoming a formal final offer: keys, regular pay, studio access, program/fabrication work, January start.
- Asha's New York lead is plausible and not magical: Ridgewood shared workspace/sublet, January armory install, coordinator contact, late but real pay.
- The foamcore test-square object gives June's painting itch a private artifact without repeating Theo's hidden panel engine.
- The close leaves both paths unanswered and turns the foamcore scrap into a carried-forward private object.

## Blocking / Repair Required

- Raw mechanical gate failed with six open findings:
  - CAP: one-sentence paragraphs over cap.
  - BANNED: comma-then sequential action.
  - BANNED: markdown bold in prose.
  - BANNED: objectless `wanted her`.
- Claude-tic repairs required before acceptance:
  - reduce em-dash as rhythm crutch;
  - replace opening `mattered`;
  - reduce wall/phone personification against Ch08 object-personification cap;
  - cut the jaw simile in crate movement;
  - reduce late abstract gloss around "silence worth."

## Integration Decision

Codex integrated the draft at `output/chapters/chapter_09.md` as a repaired base rather than requesting a new Claude draft, because the scene engine, object pressure, and material stakes are sound and the failures are line/mechanical rather than structural. Opposing-model pressure still required through Claude Dialogue/Clarity/Comedy or other triggered audits after the integrated chapter passes the mechanical gate.
