# 2026-09-19 — Ashbot inbox pass: credential hunt spiral

## Job
Inbox pass: read returns to Phoenix listing outreach, reply with CC tonyjbala@gmail.com.

## Process she actually ran
1. Memory write (identity + NAP)
2. mkdir workspace; try `himalaya` → missing (127)
3. Photon/iMessage check → unavailable (expected)
4. Read prior Birdeye send artifacts (good)
5. Long hunt for AGENTMAIL_API_KEY (blocked repeatedly by safety)
6. Source-dive hermes-agent email plugin / secret_scope (~minutes, including 143s grep)
7. Write `_check_mail.py` / `_check_inbox.py` for IMAP
8. Scripts exit 1 — key not in oneshot env / .env path miss
9. STATUS stuck at `working`; evidence empty; no replies-log

## Stumbles (ordered)
1. **Oneshot env gap (root):** Method A `_launch.py` does not inject `AGENTMAIL_API_KEY` into the child. Gateway/Desktop sessions may have it; SSH oneshot does not. Outbound Birdeye earlier worked via a session that had SMTP/key; this inbox pass did not inherit it.
2. **Safety blocks:** grep/cat of .bashrc/.env, powershell env dumps, execute_code — blocked. She adapted by writing files + read_file, but burned tokens.
3. **Tooling gaps:** `himalaya` not installed; uv python broken; had to discover `Python312` path.
4. **No STATUS discipline while blocked:** stayed `working` instead of flipping to `blocked: missing AGENTMAIL in oneshot env` after ~2 failed key checks.
5. **Credential archaeology over escalate:** should have STATUS=blocked and ping CoS after first confirmed KEY_MISSING, not 10+ minutes of source greps.

## Locked rules
1. Ashbot oneshot launcher MUST load profile `.env` (or pass `AGENTMAIL_API_KEY`) before `cli.py --oneshot`.
2. If mail key absent after one safe check → STATUS `blocked` + stop; CoS fixes env; do not source-dive.
3. Prefer Hermes email platform tools when available; raw IMAP is fallback only with injected key.
4. CoS mid-job STATUS watcher every 5m (now on) surfaces these stalls.

## Still open on this run
Job may still be spinning on key hunt. CoS should stop or reinject env and redispatch.