Preserve Ghola promises during Box selection

docs/CURRENT_STATUS.md

@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ open mode gates.
 
 ## Current checkpoint and work
 
+**Ghola promise during Box selection — 29 October. Prototyped / Partial.**
+A paid Nullentropy Box selection must preserve an outstanding named Ghola Yes;
+an incompatible card is rejected before shuffle while the paid search remains
+open. A controlled conserved-card fixture exercises rejection and the real
+Ghola replay. Eleven related files pass 51 cases; broader interactions and
+deployed verification remain open.
+[Contract](TRUTHTRANCE_LEADER_REVIVAL_PROMISES.md#paid-box-selection-preserves-a-ghola-answer--29-october-2026).
+
 **Multiple named Ghola returns — 29 October. Prototyped / Partial.**
 Multiple distinct Yes answers can share a bounded native completion when
 currently held Ghola and known Box recovery permit separate physical returns.

docs/TRUTHTRANCE_LEADER_REVIVAL_PROMISES.md

@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ The [grouped follow-up](TRUTHTRANCE_REVIVAL_EXPRESSIONS.md) combines these named
 returns and ordinary force minima with whole AND/OR, preserving dynamic choices
 and the shared native planner. Scalar questions keep their existing meaning.
 
+## Paid Box selection preserves a Ghola answer — 29 October 2026
+
+**Prototyped / Partial.** Once the owner has paid for a Nullentropy Box search,
+a selected recovery must preserve the shared completion of any outstanding
+named Ghola Yes. An incompatible choice is rejected before the discard pile is
+shuffled; the paid search remains open for a legal selection. A controlled
+multi-leader fixture uses the original physical Ghola and Box and checks that
+an alternative card is rejected before the actual Ghola replay. Broader
+interactions, saved-game assurance and deployed verification remain open.
+
 ## Multiple named Ghola answers — 29 October 2026
 
 **Prototyped / Partial.** Multiple

game/engine.ts

@@ -5229,6 +5229,13 @@ function finishNullentropy(
   requireRule(!hasMovementPromises(g, player, true) ||
     groundMovementCompletion(movementPreview, player) !== null,
   'Choose a card that preserves your accepted ground-movement promises. The paid search remains available.');
+  // The owner has paid for this search but has not yet committed a selection.
+  // A different recovered card must not consume the Box and erase the last
+  // owned route to an accepted named Ghola return. Quote the selected outcome
+  // before shuffling, with the original suspended controls restored.
+  requireRule(!liveGholaLeaderPromises(g.gholaLeaderPromises ?? [], player, g.turn).some(promise => promise.answer) ||
+    !!turnActionCompletion(movementPreview, player),
+  'Choose a card that preserves your named Ghola Truthtrance answers. The paid search remains available.');
   // All rejection paths precede this single server shuffle. The paid record and
   // final shuffled order are each persisted by the room's normal CAS fence.
   const order = shuffle(remaining).map((c) => c.id);

tests/multi-ghola-leader-runtime.test.ts

@@ -98,8 +98,15 @@ void test('two named Ghola Yes answers reuse one physical card through the paid
   assert.ok(recovery, 'The owner receives the next Box preparation');
   assert.equal(recovery.action.type, 'card'); assert.equal(recovery.action.card, f.box);
   game = act(game, f.target, recovery.action);
-  if (game.decision?.kind === 'nullentropy')
-    game = act(game, f.target, {type:'decision', event:viewGame(game, f.target).nullentropy!.search!.event, card:f.ghola});
+  assert.equal(game.decision?.kind, 'nullentropy');
+  const search = viewGame(game, f.target).nullentropy!.search!;
+  assert.ok(search);
+  const alternative = search.cards.find(card => card.id !== f.ghola);
+  assert.ok(alternative, 'The paid search must also contain an independently eligible non-Ghola card');
+  reject(game, f.target, {type:'decision', event:search.event, card:alternative.id});
+  assert.equal(viewGame(game, f.target).nullentropy!.search!.event, search.event,
+    'Rejecting an evasion keeps the already-paid search available');
+  game = act(game, f.target, {type:'decision', event:search.event, card:f.ghola});
   game = advance(game, clean);
   assert.ok(player(game, f.target).hand.some(card => card.id === f.ghola));
   const secondGuide = viewGame(game, f.target).gholaLeaderPromiseGuide;