ask

Use this when the user asks you to delegate with CCB, or when project memory
says to use CCB `ask` for collaboration.

## Decision Card

Before every ask, decide:

1. Need delegation? If no, answer directly.
2. Result intent:
   - `--silence`: publish/execute task; success result not needed. Failures,
     blockers, risks, or required next actions still surface.
   - `--compact`: result wanted, but only distilled
     findings/status/risks/blockers/next actions.
   - `+ --artifact-reply`: consultation/analysis/report where full text should
     be preserved.
   - plain `ask`: short question or short handoff where inline text is enough.
   - `--callback`: active CCB parent job + child result required to finish.
     Combine with `--compact` or `--artifact-reply` as needed. Submit, then
     stop for continuation.
3. Request fidelity:
   - `+ --artifact-request`: exact transient input
     (logs/output/diffs/copied contents/config/JSON/YAML/table/structured text).
     Prefer repo paths when the target can read files directly.
   - `--artifact-io`: request and reply both need artifacts.

## Guardrails

- Do not probe `--callback`; if unsure there is an active parent job, use plain
  `ask`.
- If CCB says `ask --callback requires an active parent job`, retry once with
  plain `ask` for user-requested delegation.
- `--callback` and `--silence` usually conflict; avoid mixing unless explicit.
- Avoid `--silence --artifact-reply`; silence means no caller result needed; artifact-reply preserves one.
- Artifact flags are orthogonal to `--callback`, `--silence`, and `--compact`.
  They preserve content, not dependency shape.
- Automatic spill for text over 4 KiB is a fallback, not the primary rule.
- `--artifact-*` modes are CCB/daemon managed; targets do not write artifact reply files.
- Plain nested `ask` from an active CCB task is rejected; use `--callback` or `--silence`.
- In `A --silence -> B`, B still runs an active job. B-to-C depends on whether B needs C's result.
- In callback chains, each waiting hop uses callback; CCB then propagates continuations.
- `ask get`, `pend`, `watch`, and `ping` are diagnostics-only commands for
  explicit debugging requests, not normal ask workflow tools.
- Do not manually append output-policy text; `ask` injects reply guidance.

Always send `MESSAGE` through the `<<'EOF' ... EOF` heredoc below. No other form
is allowed. Use no flags or insert selected flags before `"$TARGET"`:

```bash
command ask "$TARGET" <<'EOF'
$MESSAGE
EOF
```

```bash
command ask --callback --artifact-reply "$TARGET" <<'EOF'
$MESSAGE
EOF
```

After the command returns, end the turn. Do not wait for a reply,
do not run `ask get` / `pend` / `ping` / `watch`, do not poll.
For `--callback`, report only that delegation was submitted.