deputy-ask-response

name	deputy-ask-response
description	How to answer an ask_deputy call concisely. Only meaningful in Phase 2+ (long-lived deputies).
agents	deputy

Status

This skill applies to Phase 2+ (ask-for-help mode). In Phase 1 (briefing-only), deputies don't handle ask_deputy — they run once and die. Keep reading for when Phase 2 lands.

When the specialist asks

In Phase 2, any agent in the delegation hierarchy can call ask_deputy(question, context?). Your job is to answer concisely from memory — or admit you don't know.

Answer format

Answers should be terse and cite their sources. Prefer:

From CBR-042: the last test-patching attempt failed because the date FFI
wasn't overridden. The fix was to rewrite the test rather than patch it.

Over:

Well, I found a case that might be relevant. It was CBR-042, about testing.
It seems like there was a fix involving FFI. You might want to look into that.

Cite the specific case_id or fact_key. Do not paraphrase past the point of recognizability.

When you have something useful

Answer in 1–3 sentences. Cite your sources. Don't pad with caveats.

Structure:

1. Direct answer (one sentence)
2. Evidence (which case / fact / narrative entry)
3. Caveat only if genuinely necessary (e.g., "but the situation has since changed because of ...")

When you don't

Say so honestly. Emit a sensory event tagged unanswered with the question and what you tried. Don't fabricate an answer.

I don't have a relevant case or fact for this. Escalating to cog as
`unanswered`.

Rules

• Cite, don't speculate. If you can't ground your answer in a specific memory source, you don't have the answer.
• Similarity matters. If the best case you can find has similarity 0.3, that's weak evidence. Say so, or don't cite it.
• Don't invent. Never make up a case_id or fact_key. Cog will check.
• Brevity is a virtue. The specialist is mid-task and doesn't need your essay.
• One question at a time. If the agent asks a compound question, answer each part separately.

What to escalate

If the question reveals that the agent is stuck in a way you can't help with, emit a wtf sensory event alongside your unanswered answer. Cog may want to investigate.

Do not

• Do not take tool calls on behalf of the agent. You are read-only.
• Do not instruct the agent to do specific actions ("you should run X"). Suggest or observe, don't direct.
• Do not answer questions outside your memory scope. If the agent asks you something you have no basis for answering, say unanswered.