apex-tool-approval-gate

name	apex_tool_approval_gate
description	Gate and route tool use across federation MCP servers according to authority, risk, and fallback policy. Use for multi-organ tool sequences, cross-server coordination, registry audits, or degraded-server fallback decisions.
agent	888-APEX
namespace	apex_*
cluster	GATE

APEX-mcp-federation (O_Omega Orchestration Layer)

This skill uses XML-tagged sections for native Claude parsing. Process each section independently. Use extended context recall to maintain cross-organ state across the full procedure. This skill uses numbered steps with explicit input/output schemas. Follow each step in order. Validate schema conformance before proceeding to next step. Log chain-of-thought at each gate. Direct imperative format. No fluff. Route tasks. Execute sequence. Verify outputs. Report results. If server fails: fallback. If governance fails: 888_HOLD. If all fails: escalate.

arifOS-ACT Embedding

Before using this skill on any mutating, irreversible, or high-blast-radius task:

Step 1 — ART (Codex: validate each sub-step)

• Attune: What is the real task?
• Recognize: What class of power? (Observer/Maker/Messenger/Mutator/Destroyer/Sovereign)
• Test: fit · authority · evidence · blast · reversible

Step 2 — Kernel Route (Claude: )

• If action class is Maker/Mutter/Destroyer/Sovereign → route to arifOS for F1-F13 judgment
• Governance path must reach arifOS tools, never A-FORGE directly

Step 3 — ACT (Hermes: do it)

• Apply narrow scope
• Constrain blast radius
• Trace witness
• STOP before corruption

Step 4 — Receipt

• Leave evidence: what changed, why, under whose authority

Purpose

Route tasks across MCP servers, coordinate server/tool sequences, and define fallbacks when one substrate fails.

Use When

1. A complex task spans multiple distinct organ environments (GEOX, WEALTH, WELL, A-FORGE)
2. Coordinating sequential multi-tool calls across different MCP servers
3. Defining fallback routes when an MCP server goes offline
4. Auditing active FastMCP server registries
5. Verifying cross-organ constitutional floors during A2A communication

Do Not Use When

1. Task is entirely within a single local directory
2. Writing standard localized components
3. Task requires structural changes to a specific tool's internal code

Inputs

| Input | Type | Required | Description | |-------|------|----------|-------------| | intent | string | yes | High-level pipeline task | | server_registry | object | yes | Active MCP endpoints | | client_connections | array | yes | Active SSE/stdio channels | | fallback_policy | string | no | "graceful" or "fail-fast" |

Procedure

Step 1: Intent Mapping + Brain/Hands Classification

- **Codex:** Parse intent → identify required tools → classify each as governance or execution → build routing graph - **Claude:** Use to decompose multi-organ requirements. Recall prior routing state from extended context. - **Hermes:** What does the user need? Which organ has it? Route.

Routing Rules:

• Governance, judgment, floors, memory mutation, sealing → arifOS MCP (8088) FIRST
• Execution, build, shell, browser, jobs → A-FORGE MCP (7072) only after lease
• Domain intelligence → GEOX (8081) / WEALTH (18082) / WELL (18083) as needed

Step 2: Tool Sequence Plan

- **Codex:** Build ordered tool list. For each: input_schema, output_schema, dependency, fallback. Validate all schemas chain. - **Claude:** Use to construct graph. Identify parallel branches. Insert governance gates. - **Hermes:** List tools in order. Add arif_judge before any high-risk A-FORGE call. Done.

Schema (each tool call):

{
  "tool": "tool_name",
  "server": "arifos|aforge|geox|wealth|well",
  "input": {},
  "output_schema": {},
  "depends_on": ["step_id"],
  "fallback": "alternative_tool or null",
  "governance_gate": true|false
}

Step 3: F8 Cross-Organ Gating + Lease/Judge Handoff

- Enforce Floor F8 (Genius/Systemic Health) - Any mutate/atomic forge_* requires valid lease_id - Governance paths must reach arifOS canonical tools - **Codex:** Validate lease_id exists before any A-FORGE call. Log gate decision. - **Claude:** Use to verify floor compliance. Recall floor state from context. - **Hermes:** Need lease? Get lease. No lease? 888_HOLD. Simple.

Step 4: Sequential Execution & Verification

- Execute step-by-step - Verify output of each tool before piping to next - Reject any pipe that lets A-FORGE issue or bypass 888/999 verdicts - **Codex:** After each step, validate output matches expected schema. Log chain-of-thought. - **Claude:** Use after each step. Cross-reference with extended context for anomalies. - **Hermes:** Run tool. Check output. If bad: stop. If good: next tool.

Step 5: Fallback Routing

- If server fails or times out: 1. Identify equivalent alternative tools 2. Gracefully degrade execution loop 3. Log failure trace 4. Notify ASI-observability 5. On governance substrate failure: escalate to 888_HOLD; NEVER fall back to execution-only path - **Codex:** Check fallback list in order. First viable alternative wins. Log decision. - **Claude:** Use to select best alternative considering full context. - **Hermes:** Server down? Try backup. Backup down? 888_HOLD. All down? Escalate.

Step 6: Telemetry Serialization

- Record cross-organ connection path - Record which MCP surface was used for judgment vs execution - Record lease_id (if any) - Record tool success counts - Emit to AAA for lease-compliance and seal-latency metrics

Postconditions

1. All sequential tool outputs verified and validated
2. Alternative backup routes executed automatically if primary fails
3. Complete cross-server trace recorded for F11 auditability

Failure Modes & Escalation

• Substrate Collapse: All MCP servers unreachable → degrade, log ERR_MCP_SUBSTRATE_COLLAPSE, halt high-stakes, prompt user
• Data Pipeline Mismatch: Output A ≠ Input B schema → invoke hold protocol, refuse to pipe, alert developer

Floors

• F2 TRUTH: Tool outputs verified before piping. No silent corruption.
• F3 TRI-WITNESS: Cross-organ consensus required for high-stakes routing.
• F4 CLARITY: Routing plan must be more structured than raw intent.
• F8 GENIUS: Systemic health maintained across organ boundaries.
• F11 AUDITABILITY: Full routing trace logged.