feat(theme): WCAG-legible backgrounds + oc-demo theme & reaction assets

Derive each rolled palette's surface from its ink via legible_bg so the
background is as expressive as it can be while keeping chat text above a
contrast floor. Adds the oc-demo theme and reaction images.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

bootstrap-ai.sh

@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 #   ./bootstrap-ai.sh              # baseline setup + Ollama + default model
 #   ./bootstrap-ai.sh --release    # ...and build the client in release mode
 #   ./bootstrap-ai.sh --check      # report only; install/pull nothing
-#   ./bootstrap-ai.sh --yes        # don't prompt before installing Ollama
+#   ./bootstrap-ai.sh --yes        # don't prompt before installing Ollama / pulling the model
+#   ./bootstrap-ai.sh --ai-only    # only the AI layer; skip the baseline ./bootstrap.sh
 #   ./bootstrap-ai.sh -h | --help  # this help
 #
 # environment:
@@ -28,13 +29,15 @@ INSTALLER_URL="https://ollama.com/install.sh"
 RELEASE_ARGS=()
 CHECK_ONLY=0
 ASSUME_YES=0
+AI_ONLY=0
 for arg in "$@"; do
     case "$arg" in
         --release) RELEASE_ARGS+=(--release) ;;
         --check)   CHECK_ONLY=1 ;;
         --yes|-y)  ASSUME_YES=1 ;;
+        --ai-only) AI_ONLY=1 ;;
         -h|--help|-help) grep '^#' "$0" | sed 's/^# \{0,1\}//'; exit 0 ;;
-        *) echo "✖ unknown arg: $arg (try --release / --check / --yes / --help)" >&2; exit 2 ;;
+        *) echo "✖ unknown arg: $arg (try --release / --check / --yes / --ai-only / --help)" >&2; exit 2 ;;
     esac
 done
 
@@ -44,10 +47,14 @@ ollama_up() { curl -s --max-time 3 "$OLLAMA_HOST/api/tags" >/dev/null 2>&1; }
 # 0. Baseline setup (venv + server/agent deps + client build). The agent's own
 #    runtime deps (requests, websockets) are already in requirements.txt, so the
 #    baseline install covers them — this script adds only the model runtime.
-if [[ $CHECK_ONLY -eq 1 ]]; then
-    "$ROOT/bootstrap.sh" --check || exit $?
-else
-    "$ROOT/bootstrap.sh" "${RELEASE_ARGS[@]}" || exit $?
+#    --no-ai stops bootstrap.sh re-entering this script (it now runs the AI layer
+#    by default). --ai-only skips the baseline entirely (caller already ran it).
+if [[ $AI_ONLY -ne 1 ]]; then
+    if [[ $CHECK_ONLY -eq 1 ]]; then
+        "$ROOT/bootstrap.sh" --no-ai --check || exit $?
+    else
+        "$ROOT/bootstrap.sh" --no-ai "${RELEASE_ARGS[@]}" || exit $?
+    fi
 fi
 
 echo
@@ -95,10 +102,25 @@ if ! ollama_up; then
     echo "  ✓ daemon up"
 fi
 
-# 4. Pull the default model (idempotent).
+# 4. Pull the default model (idempotent). Pulling downloads several GB onto THIS
+#    machine, so ask first on an interactive terminal (skip with --yes) — never
+#    pull a model onto someone's box without their say-so.
 if ollama list 2>/dev/null | awk 'NR>1{print $1}' | grep -Fxq "$MODEL"; then
     echo "  ✓ model '$MODEL' already present"
 else
+    echo "  model '$MODEL' is not present — pulling it downloads several GB to THIS machine."
+    if [[ $ASSUME_YES -ne 1 ]]; then
+        if [[ -t 0 ]]; then
+            read -r -p "  pull '$MODEL' now? [y/N] " ans
+            [[ "$ans" == [yY]* ]] || { echo "  aborted — no model pulled. pull it yourself with: ollama pull $MODEL" >&2; exit 1; }
+        else
+            # No terminal to confirm on — never pull onto someone's machine
+            # unasked. Require explicit --yes (or an interactive yes) instead.
+            echo "  ✖ not pulling '$MODEL' without confirmation (no terminal to ask)." >&2
+            echo "    re-run with --yes to allow it, or pull manually: ollama pull $MODEL" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    fi
     echo "  pulling model '$MODEL' (first pull can take a while)…"
     ollama pull "$MODEL" || { echo "  ✖ failed to pull '$MODEL'" >&2; exit 1; }
     echo "  ✓ model '$MODEL' ready"

bootstrap.sh

@@ -5,11 +5,18 @@
 # for the server, installs its dependencies, and builds the Rust client.
 #
 # usage:
-#   ./bootstrap.sh              # full setup (venv + deps + cargo build)
+#   ./bootstrap.sh              # full setup (venv + deps + client + AI layer)
 #   ./bootstrap.sh --release    # build the client in release mode
+#   ./bootstrap.sh --no-ai      # skip the AI layer (no Ollama install / model pull)
+#   ./bootstrap.sh --yes        # don't prompt during the AI layer (install / pull)
 #   ./bootstrap.sh --check      # only report what's installed; change nothing
 #   ./bootstrap.sh -h | --help  # this help
 #
+# The AI layer (local Ollama + a default model for the /ai agent) is set up by
+# default so the agent works out of the box and nobody hits "model not found".
+# It still prompts before installing/pulling on an interactive terminal — skip
+# the whole thing with --no-ai, or skip the prompts with --yes.
+#
 # After it finishes, spin up a local test session with:  cd hh && ./lets-hack.sh
 set -uo pipefail
 
@@ -19,12 +26,16 @@ HH_DIR="$ROOT/hh"
 
 RELEASE=0
 CHECK_ONLY=0
+DO_AI=1
+ASSUME_YES=0
 for arg in "$@"; do
     case "$arg" in
         --release) RELEASE=1 ;;
         --check)   CHECK_ONLY=1 ;;
+        --no-ai)   DO_AI=0 ;;
+        --yes|-y)  ASSUME_YES=1 ;;
         -h|--help|-help) grep '^#' "$0" | sed 's/^# \{0,1\}//'; exit 0 ;;
-        *) echo "✖ unknown arg: $arg (try --release / --check / --help)" >&2; exit 2 ;;
+        *) echo "✖ unknown arg: $arg (try --release / --no-ai / --yes / --check / --help)" >&2; exit 2 ;;
     esac
 done
 
@@ -73,8 +84,22 @@ else
     echo "  ✓ client built: hh/target/debug/hack-house"
 fi
 
+# 4. AI layer (on by default): install Ollama + pull the default model so the
+#    /ai agent works out of the box and nobody hits "model not found" later. The
+#    logic lives in bootstrap-ai.sh; --ai-only skips its baseline re-run (we just
+#    did it). Declining/failing here is non-fatal — the baseline setup still
+#    stands and the AI layer can be added later with ./bootstrap-ai.sh.
+if [[ $DO_AI -eq 1 ]]; then
+    ai_args=(--ai-only)
+    [[ $ASSUME_YES -eq 1 ]] && ai_args+=(--yes)
+    "$ROOT/bootstrap-ai.sh" "${ai_args[@]}" \
+        || echo "⚠ AI layer not completed — re-run ./bootstrap-ai.sh when ready" >&2
+fi
+
 echo
 echo "ready. next steps:"
 echo "    cd hh && ./lets-hack.sh          # local test session (server + clients in tmux)"
 echo "    # or run the server + client by hand — see README.MD"
-echo "    # want the local AI agent? ./bootstrap-ai.sh  (installs Ollama + a model)"
+if [[ $DO_AI -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "    # AI layer skipped (--no-ai); add it later with ./bootstrap-ai.sh"
+fi

cmd_chat/agent/providers.py

@@ -63,6 +63,35 @@ class OllamaProvider:
             opts["num_thread"] = self.num_thread
         return opts
 
+    def _raise_for_status(self, r: requests.Response) -> None:
+        """Turn an Ollama HTTP error into an actionable message.
+
+        Ollama answers /api/chat with 404 + ``{"error": "model ... not found"}``
+        when the model isn't pulled on the box running this agent. Because the
+        agent talks to *its own* localhost:11434, a teammate who summoned /ai
+        without that model pulled hits this even when the host has it. The bare
+        ``raise_for_status`` only reports "404 Not Found for url", hiding the
+        cause — so name the model, the host, and the fix instead. This text is
+        what the bridge posts to the room as ``[ai error: …]``.
+        """
+        if r.ok:
+            return
+        try:
+            detail = (r.json().get("error") or "").strip()
+        except ValueError:
+            detail = (r.text or "").strip()
+        if r.status_code == 404:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"model '{self.model}' isn't pulled on the ollama at {self.host} "
+                f"(the agent uses ollama on the machine that ran /ai, not the host). "
+                f"fix: `ollama pull {self.model}` there, or `/ai start <profile>` "
+                f"for a cloud model. [{detail or 'model not found'}]"
+            )
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            f"ollama at {self.host} returned {r.status_code}"
+            + (f": {detail}" if detail else "")
+        )
+
     def complete(self, system: str, messages: list[Msg]) -> str:
         payload = {
             "model": self.model,
@@ -73,7 +102,7 @@ class OllamaProvider:
             + [{"role": m.role, "content": m.content} for m in messages],
         }
         r = requests.post(f"{self.host}/api/chat", json=payload, timeout=self.timeout)
-        r.raise_for_status()
+        self._raise_for_status(r)
         return (r.json().get("message", {}).get("content") or "").strip()
 
     def stream(self, system: str, messages: list[Msg]):
@@ -89,7 +118,7 @@ class OllamaProvider:
         }
         with requests.post(f"{self.host}/api/chat", json=payload,
                            timeout=self.timeout, stream=True) as r:
-            r.raise_for_status()
+            self._raise_for_status(r)
             for line in r.iter_lines():
                 if not line:
                     continue

hh/src/app.rs

@@ -374,11 +374,25 @@ impl App {
                 cols,
             } => {
                 if ready {
-                    self.sandbox = Some(SbxView {
-                        parser: vt100::Parser::new(rows.max(1), cols.max(1), 2000),
-                        backend: backend.clone(),
-                    });
-                    self.sys(format!("⛧ sandbox summoned ({backend}) — F2 to drive"));
+                    // Converge on the shared shell. If we already track this
+                    // sandbox, just match its size — recreating the parser would
+                    // wipe scrollback and re-announce on every re-broadcast. The
+                    // owner re-sends `status:ready` whenever a member (re)joins, so
+                    // this MUST be idempotent for everyone already in the room; only
+                    // a genuinely new sandbox (none yet) is created and announced.
+                    match &mut self.sandbox {
+                        Some(v) => {
+                            v.parser.set_size(rows.max(1), cols.max(1));
+                            v.backend = backend.clone();
+                        }
+                        None => {
+                            self.sandbox = Some(SbxView {
+                                parser: vt100::Parser::new(rows.max(1), cols.max(1), 2000),
+                                backend: backend.clone(),
+                            });
+                            self.sys(format!("⛧ sandbox summoned ({backend}) — F2 to drive"));
+                        }
+                    }
                 } else {
                     self.sandbox = None;
                     self.driving = false;
@@ -534,11 +548,14 @@ fn handle_ft(
     out: &UnboundedSender<WsMsg>,
     room: &Arc<fernet::Fernet>,
     downloads: &std::path::Path,
-) {
+) -> Option<std::path::PathBuf> {
+    // Set to the saved path when a transfer completes & verifies, so the caller
+    // can auto-bridge it into a running sandbox.
+    let mut saved = None;
     match f {
         ft::Ft::Offer(o) => {
             if o.from == app.me {
-                return; // our own offer echo
+                return None; // our own offer echo
             }
             app.sys(format!(
                 "⛧ {} offers {} ({}{}) — /accept or /reject",
@@ -604,11 +621,14 @@ fn handle_ft(
                         app.err(format!("{} — SHA-256 mismatch, discarded", t.meta.name));
                     } else {
                         match ft::save(downloads, &t.meta, &t.buf) {
-                            Ok(p) => app.sys(format!(
-                                "⛧ saved {} ({}) — verified ✓",
-                                p.display(),
-                                ft::human(t.buf.len())
-                            )),
+                            Ok(p) => {
+                                app.sys(format!(
+                                    "⛧ saved {} ({}) — verified ✓",
+                                    p.display(),
+                                    ft::human(t.buf.len())
+                                ));
+                                saved = Some(p);
+                            }
                             Err(e) => app.err(format!("save failed: {e}")),
                         }
                     }
@@ -624,6 +644,7 @@ fn handle_ft(
             }
         }
     }
+    saved
 }
 
 /// Put the terminal back the way we found it: leave raw mode, leave the
@@ -970,7 +991,42 @@ pub async fn run(params: net::ConnParams, mut session: Session, mut theme: Theme
                                 }
                             }
                         }
-                        Net::Ft(f) => handle_ft(f, &mut app, &mut active_send, &out_tx, &session.room, &downloads),
+                        Net::Ft(f) => {
+                            // On a received, SHA-verified file, auto-bridge it into
+                            // a sandbox we host so the whole clergy can use it from
+                            // the shared shell. Runs off the UI thread (docker/mp
+                            // exec + tar stream) and reports back via the app channel.
+                            // A local backend already shares the host fs — nothing to do.
+                            if let Some(path) =
+                                handle_ft(f, &mut app, &mut active_send, &out_tx, &session.room, &downloads)
+                            {
+                                if let Some((be, name)) = &broker_meta {
+                                    if !matches!(be, sbx::Backend::Local) {
+                                        let (be, name) = (*be, name.clone());
+                                        let run_user = sbx::run_user_for(
+                                            be,
+                                            app.owner.as_deref().unwrap_or(app.me.as_str()),
+                                        );
+                                        let tx = app_tx.clone();
+                                        tokio::spawn(async move {
+                                            let res = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+                                                sbx::push(be, &name, &run_user, &path)
+                                            })
+                                            .await;
+                                            let _ = match res {
+                                                Ok(Ok(dest)) => tx.send(Net::Sys(format!(
+                                                    "⛧ bridged into sandbox → {dest}"
+                                                ))),
+                                                Ok(Err(e)) => tx.send(Net::Sys(format!(
+                                                    "(received file not bridged into sandbox: {e})"
+                                                ))),
+                                                Err(e) => tx.send(Net::Err(format!("bridge task: {e}"))),
+                                            };
+                                        });
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
                         // The broker renders its sandbox locally from the PTY, so it
                         // ignores its own echoed status/data; everyone else uses them.
                         Net::SbxData(b) => {
@@ -980,12 +1036,27 @@ pub async fn run(params: net::ConnParams, mut session: Session, mut theme: Theme
                         }
                         Net::SbxStatus { .. } if broker.is_some() => {}
                         ev @ Net::Joined(_) => {
-                            // A late joiner (e.g. a just-summoned agent) missed any
-                            // ACL broadcast sent before they connected. If we host the
-                            // sandbox, re-broadcast so their local grant state syncs —
-                            // this is what makes `/ai start <m> allow` actually reach
-                            // the agent.
+                            // Someone (re)entered and missed everything broadcast
+                            // before they connected. If we host the sandbox, replay
+                            // it so it reappears for them: `status:ready` makes the
+                            // pane show up, the screen snapshot (`_sbx:data`) paints
+                            // its current contents instead of a blank pane, and the
+                            // ACL re-broadcast re-syncs grant state (also what makes
+                            // `/ai start <m> allow` reach a freshly-joined agent).
+                            // The status/data handlers are idempotent, so members
+                            // already in the room aren't disturbed by the replay.
                             if broker.is_some() {
+                                if let (Some(v), Some((be, _))) = (&app.sandbox, &broker_meta) {
+                                    let (rows, cols) = v.parser.screen().size();
+                                    send_frame(&out_tx, &session.room, json!({
+                                        "_sbx":"status","state":"ready",
+                                        "backend": be.label(),"rows": rows,"cols": cols
+                                    }));
+                                    let snap = v.parser.screen().contents_formatted();
+                                    send_frame(&out_tx, &session.room, json!({
+                                        "_sbx":"data","b64": STANDARD.encode(&snap)
+                                    }));
+                                }
                                 broadcast_acl(&out_tx, &session.room, &app);
                             }
                             app.apply(ev);
@@ -1360,14 +1431,28 @@ fn handle_command(
                 }
             }
             Some("save") => {
-                let label = p.next().unwrap_or("snap").to_string();
+                // `--local` (alias `-l`) also writes a portable, standalone copy
+                // under hh-snapshots/ (a docker `.tar`) the saver fully owns; the
+                // default keeps just the in-backend snapshot. The label is the
+                // first non-flag arg.
+                let args: Vec<&str> = p.collect();
+                let local = args.iter().any(|a| matches!(*a, "--local" | "-l"));
+                let label = args
+                    .iter()
+                    .copied()
+                    .find(|a| !a.starts_with('-'))
+                    .unwrap_or("snap")
+                    .to_string();
                 if !is_snap_label(&label) {
                     app.sys("snapshot label must be alphanumerics, '.', '_' or '-'");
                 } else if let Some((be, name)) = broker_meta.clone() {
-                    app.sys(format!("saving sandbox state as '{label}'…"));
+                    app.sys(format!(
+                        "saving sandbox state as '{label}'{}…",
+                        if local { " (+ local copy)" } else { "" }
+                    ));
                     let (tx, lbl) = (app_tx.clone(), label.clone());
                     tokio::spawn(async move {
-                        let res = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || sbx::save_state(be, &name, &label)).await;
+                        let res = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || sbx::save_state(be, &name, &label, local)).await;
                         let _ = match res {
                             Ok(Ok(desc)) => tx.send(Net::Sys(format!(
                                 "⛧ saved sandbox → {desc} · reload with `/sbx load {lbl}`"))),
@@ -1447,6 +1532,61 @@ fn handle_command(
                     };
                 });
             }
+            Some("vmsave") => {
+                // Snapshot a local VirtualBox VM. `--local` (alias `-l`) also
+                // exports a portable `.ova` appliance under hh-snapshots/.
+                let args: Vec<&str> = p.collect();
+                let local = args.iter().any(|a| matches!(*a, "--local" | "-l"));
+                let mut pos = args.iter().copied().filter(|a| !a.starts_with('-'));
+                match pos.next() {
+                    None => app.sys(
+                        "usage: /sbx vmsave <vm> [label] [--local]  (snapshot a VirtualBox VM; list VMs with /sbx vms)",
+                    ),
+                    Some(vm) => {
+                        let label = pos.next().unwrap_or("snap").to_string();
+                        if !is_snap_label(&label) {
+                            app.sys("snapshot label must be alphanumerics, '.', '_' or '-'");
+                        } else {
+                            app.sys(format!(
+                                "snapshotting VM '{vm}' as '{label}'{}…",
+                                if local { " (+ local .ova)" } else { "" }
+                            ));
+                            let (tx, vm) = (app_tx.clone(), vm.to_string());
+                            tokio::spawn(async move {
+                                let res = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+                                    sbx::vm_save_state(&vm, &label, local)
+                                })
+                                .await;
+                                let _ = match res {
+                                    Ok(Ok(desc)) => tx.send(Net::Sys(format!("⛧ saved VM → {desc}"))),
+                                    Ok(Err(e)) => tx.send(Net::Err(format!("vmsave failed: {e}"))),
+                                    Err(e) => tx.send(Net::Err(format!("vmsave task: {e}"))),
+                                };
+                            });
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            Some("vmsnaps") => {
+                match p.next() {
+                    None => app.sys("usage: /sbx vmsnaps <vm>  (list a VirtualBox VM's snapshots)"),
+                    Some(vm) => {
+                        let (tx, vm) = (app_tx.clone(), vm.to_string());
+                        tokio::spawn(async move {
+                            let res = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || sbx::vm_snapshots(&vm)).await;
+                            let _ = match res {
+                                Ok(Ok(v)) if !v.is_empty() => {
+                                    tx.send(Net::Sys(format!("VM snapshots: {}", v.join(", "))))
+                                }
+                                Ok(Ok(_)) => tx.send(Net::Sys(
+                                    "no VM snapshots yet — `/sbx vmsave <vm> [label]` to make one".into())),
+                                Ok(Err(e)) => tx.send(Net::Err(format!("vmsnaps: {e}"))),
+                                Err(e) => tx.send(Net::Err(format!("vmsnaps task: {e}"))),
+                            };
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             Some("gui") => {
                 let gargs: Vec<&str> = p.collect();
                 let first = gargs.iter().copied().find(|a| !a.starts_with('-'));
@@ -1511,7 +1651,7 @@ fn handle_command(
                 }
             }
             _ => app.sys(
-                "usage: /sbx launch [local|docker|multipass] [image] · gui <vm> · vms · stop · save [label] · load <label> · snaps",
+                "usage: /sbx launch [local|docker|multipass] [image] · gui <vm> · vms · stop · save [label] [--local] · load <label> · snaps · vmsave <vm> [label] [--local] · vmsnaps <vm>",
             ),
         }
     } else if let Some(rest) = line.strip_prefix("/unsudo") {

hh/src/ft.rs

@@ -88,6 +88,31 @@ fn tar_dir(dir: &Path) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
     Ok(buf)
 }
 
+/// Tar any local path (file or directory) to bytes for injecting into a
+/// sandbox — the archive's single top-level entry is named after the path's
+/// basename, so it extracts as `<dest>/<base>`. Enforces `MAX_SIZE`. Returns
+/// `(base_name, tar_bytes)`.
+pub fn tar_path(path: &Path) -> Result<(String, Vec<u8>)> {
+    let meta = std::fs::metadata(path).with_context(|| format!("not found: {}", path.display()))?;
+    let base = path
+        .file_name()
+        .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
+        .context("path has no final component")?
+        .to_string();
+    let mut buf = Vec::new();
+    {
+        let mut tb = tar::Builder::new(&mut buf);
+        if meta.is_dir() {
+            tb.append_dir_all(&base, path).context("tar directory")?;
+        } else {
+            tb.append_path_with_name(path, &base).context("tar file")?;
+        }
+        tb.finish()?;
+    }
+    anyhow::ensure!(buf.len() <= MAX_SIZE, "too large ({})", human(buf.len()));
+    Ok((base, buf))
+}
+
 /// Persist received bytes under `downloads`. Directories (tar) are extracted
 /// with a guard rejecting absolute paths and `..` escapes (zip-slip).
 pub fn save(downloads: &Path, offer: &Offer, data: &[u8]) -> Result<PathBuf> {

hh/src/sbx.rs

@@ -428,6 +428,19 @@ pub fn teardown(backend: Backend, name: &str) {
 /// (`hh-snap:<label>`). Owner-side only — never pushed anywhere.
 pub const SNAP_REPO: &str = "hh-snap";
 
+/// Directory (relative to the working dir) where portable snapshot artifacts
+/// land when the saver opts into a local file copy (`/sbx save … --local`).
+/// Created on demand. These are standalone files the owner keeps — they survive
+/// even if the in-backend image/snapshot is later pruned.
+pub const SNAP_DIR: &str = "hh-snapshots";
+
+/// Ensure `hh-snapshots/` exists and return it. Blocking.
+fn snap_dir() -> Result<std::path::PathBuf> {
+    let dir = std::path::PathBuf::from(SNAP_DIR);
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).with_context(|| format!("creating {SNAP_DIR}/"))?;
+    Ok(dir)
+}
+
 /// Snapshot the running sandbox's filesystem state to a named artifact on the
 /// owner's machine. Blocking — run off the UI thread.
 ///
@@ -439,8 +452,15 @@ pub const SNAP_REPO: &str = "hh-snap";
 ///   error is surfaced verbatim.
 /// - **Local:** no backing VM/container, so nothing to save.
 ///
+/// `local` adds a portable, standalone copy under `hh-snapshots/` (a file the
+/// owner fully controls) on top of the in-backend snapshot:
+/// - **Docker:** `docker save` the committed image to a `.tar`.
+/// - **Multipass:** snapshots already live on this host under multipass's own
+///   data dir; the CLI has no single-file export, so we note that and skip the
+///   extra file rather than fake one.
+///
 /// Returns a short human description of what was written on success.
-pub fn save_state(backend: Backend, name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<String> {
+pub fn save_state(backend: Backend, name: &str, label: &str, local: bool) -> Result<String> {
     match backend {
         Backend::Docker => {
             let tag = format!("{SNAP_REPO}:{label}");
@@ -455,6 +475,22 @@ pub fn save_state(backend: Backend, name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<String> {
                     err.lines().last().unwrap_or("").trim()
                 );
             }
+            if local {
+                let path = snap_dir()?.join(format!("hh-snap-{label}.tar"));
+                let out = Command::new("docker")
+                    .args(["save", &tag, "-o"])
+                    .arg(&path)
+                    .output()
+                    .context("docker save")?;
+                if !out.status.success() {
+                    let err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr);
+                    anyhow::bail!(
+                        "image {tag} committed, but local export failed: {}",
+                        err.lines().last().unwrap_or("").trim()
+                    );
+                }
+                return Ok(format!("image {tag} + local file {}", path.display()));
+            }
             Ok(format!("image {tag}"))
         }
         Backend::Multipass => {
@@ -469,6 +505,13 @@ pub fn save_state(backend: Backend, name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<String> {
                     err.lines().last().unwrap_or("").trim()
                 );
             }
+            if local {
+                // multipass stores snapshots on this host already; no portable
+                // single-file export exists in the CLI, so be honest about it.
+                return Ok(format!(
+                    "snapshot {name}.{label} (already stored locally by multipass; no portable file)"
+                ));
+            }
             Ok(format!("snapshot {name}.{label}"))
         }
         Backend::Local => {
@@ -477,6 +520,74 @@ pub fn save_state(backend: Backend, name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<String> {
     }
 }
 
+/// Snapshot a VirtualBox VM's state. VirtualBox isn't a brokered `Backend` (its
+/// GUI runs locally, never relayed), so it has its own save path. Blocking.
+///
+/// `VBoxManage snapshot <vm> take <label>` works whether the VM is running
+/// (live snapshot) or powered off. `local` additionally exports the whole VM to
+/// a portable `.ova` appliance under `hh-snapshots/` — the standalone artifact
+/// you'd hand to someone else (or re-import yourself) via `/sbx gui`.
+pub fn vm_save_state(vm: &str, label: &str, local: bool) -> Result<String> {
+    let out = Command::new("VBoxManage")
+        .args(["snapshot", vm, "take", label])
+        .output()
+        .context("VBoxManage snapshot take (is VirtualBox installed?)")?;
+    if !out.status.success() {
+        let err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr);
+        anyhow::bail!(
+            "VBoxManage snapshot failed: {}",
+            err.lines().last().unwrap_or("").trim()
+        );
+    }
+    if local {
+        let path = snap_dir()?.join(format!("{vm}-{label}.ova"));
+        let out = Command::new("VBoxManage")
+            .args(["export", vm, "-o"])
+            .arg(&path)
+            .output()
+            .context("VBoxManage export")?;
+        if !out.status.success() {
+            let err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr);
+            anyhow::bail!(
+                "snapshot '{label}' taken, but OVA export failed: {}",
+                err.lines().last().unwrap_or("").trim()
+            );
+        }
+        return Ok(format!("snapshot '{label}' + local appliance {}", path.display()));
+    }
+    Ok(format!("snapshot '{label}' of {vm}"))
+}
+
+/// Snapshot names for a VirtualBox VM (`VBoxManage snapshot <vm> list
+/// --machinereadable` → `SnapshotName*="..."` lines). Blocking. An empty list
+/// (exit 1 "does not have any snapshots") is reported as no snapshots, not an
+/// error.
+pub fn vm_snapshots(vm: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+    let out = Command::new("VBoxManage")
+        .args(["snapshot", vm, "list", "--machinereadable"])
+        .output()
+        .context("VBoxManage snapshot list (is VirtualBox installed?)")?;
+    if !out.status.success() {
+        let err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr);
+        if err.contains("does not have any snapshots") {
+            return Ok(Vec::new());
+        }
+        anyhow::bail!(
+            "VBoxManage snapshot list failed: {}",
+            err.lines().last().unwrap_or("").trim()
+        );
+    }
+    Ok(String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout)
+        .lines()
+        .filter_map(|l| {
+            let v = l.strip_prefix("SnapshotName")?;
+            let q = v.split_once('=')?.1.trim();
+            Some(q.trim_matches('"').to_string())
+        })
+        .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+        .collect())
+}
+
 /// List saved snapshot labels for a backend (Docker image tags under
 /// `hh-snap`, or multipass snapshots of the instance). Blocking.
 pub fn list_snapshots(backend: Backend, name: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
@@ -637,6 +748,79 @@ pub fn set_sudo(backend: Backend, name: &str, user: &str, enable: bool) {
     }
 }
 
+/// The unix user the shared shell runs as for a backend — mirrors `provision`'s
+/// return (owner on Multipass, root on Docker, none on Local) but side-effect
+/// free, so callers like file-push can resolve the destination home without
+/// threading extra state through the broker.
+pub fn run_user_for(backend: Backend, owner: &str) -> String {
+    match backend {
+        Backend::Multipass => unix_name(owner),
+        Backend::Docker => "root".to_string(),
+        Backend::Local => String::new(),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Inject a local file/dir into the running sandbox, dropping it under the
+/// shared shell user's home and leaving it owned by that user. The path is
+/// streamed in as a tar (built + size-capped by `ft::tar_path`) and unpacked by
+/// `tar` inside the container/VM — uniform for files and directories, and no
+/// shell interpolation of the path. Blocking — run off the UI thread. Returns
+/// the in-sandbox destination path on success.
+pub fn push(backend: Backend, name: &str, run_user: &str, local: &std::path::Path) -> Result<String> {
+    let (base, tar) = crate::ft::tar_path(local)?;
+    match backend {
+        Backend::Local => anyhow::bail!(
+            "local sandbox shares the host filesystem — {} is already reachable",
+            local.display()
+        ),
+        Backend::Docker => {
+            // Shell runs as root with $HOME=/root (see `prepare`'s `-w /root`).
+            let mut c = Command::new("docker");
+            c.args(["exec", "-i", name, "tar", "-C", "/root", "-xf", "-"]);
+            extract_tar(c, &tar)?;
+            Ok(format!("/root/{base}"))
+        }
+        Backend::Multipass => {
+            let home = format!("/home/{run_user}");
+            let mut c = Command::new("multipass");
+            c.args(["exec", name, "--", "sudo", "tar", "-C", &home, "-xf", "-"]);
+            extract_tar(c, &tar)?;
+            // Hand ownership to the account whose login shell the clergy share
+            // (the tar unpacked as root via sudo).
+            let owns = format!("{run_user}:{run_user}");
+            let target = format!("{home}/{base}");
+            mp(name, &["sudo", "chown", "-R", &owns, &target]);
+            Ok(target)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Feed `tar` bytes to a `tar -x` process over stdin, surfacing the extractor's
+/// own last error line on failure.
+fn extract_tar(mut cmd: Command, tar: &[u8]) -> Result<()> {
+    cmd.stdin(Stdio::piped())
+        .stdout(Stdio::null())
+        .stderr(Stdio::piped());
+    let mut child = cmd
+        .spawn()
+        .context("spawn tar extractor (is the backend CLI installed?)")?;
+    {
+        let mut si = child.stdin.take().context("tar stdin")?;
+        si.write_all(tar).context("stream tar to sandbox")?;
+    } // drop closes stdin → tar sees EOF and finishes
+    let out = child.wait_with_output().context("await tar extractor")?;
+    anyhow::ensure!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "extract failed: {}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+            .lines()
+            .last()
+            .unwrap_or("")
+            .trim()
+    );
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub struct Sandbox {
     // Held for the PTY's lifetime (dropping it closes the terminal) + resize.
     #[allow(dead_code)]

hh/src/theme.rs

@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ impl Theme {
                                         // Accent sits at an analogous or complementary offset for contrast.
         let accent_hue = (base + *r.pick(&[30.0, 150.0, 180.0, 210.0, 330.0_f32])) % 360.0;
 
-        let bg = hsv(base, r.range(0.22, 0.5), r.range(0.06, 0.12)); // deep tinted slate
         let border = hsv(base, r.range(0.18, 0.42), r.range(0.40, 0.55));
         let accent = hsv(accent_hue, r.range(0.70, 1.0), r.range(0.85, 1.0));
         // Title is either the accent or a near-white tint of the base hue.
@@ -94,6 +93,18 @@ impl Theme {
         let system = hsv(base, r.range(0.20, 0.45), r.range(0.58, 0.74));
         let dim = hsv(base, r.range(0.14, 0.34), r.range(0.50, 0.66));
 
+        // The surface is no longer rolled blind: derive it from the ink we just
+        // rolled so it's *guaranteed* legible yet as expressive as that allows.
+        // `legible_bg` walks the base-hue slate from near-black upward and keeps
+        // the lightest tint at which the primary chat ink still clears a contrast
+        // floor — so brighter palettes earn a richer, more visible background and
+        // cooler ones settle onto a deeper one, all while staying readable. Only
+        // the reliably-light inks (`me`, `other`) gate the surface: the muted or
+        // accent-tinted inks (`title` can be the accent, `system`/`dim` run dark
+        // by design) would otherwise be impossible to satisfy and collapse the
+        // background to flat black, so they ride along rather than veto the tint.
+        let bg = legible_bg(base, r.range(0.30, 0.60), &[me, other]);
+
         Theme {
             name: format!("{}-{}", r.pick(&NAME_ADJ), r.pick(&NAME_NOUN)),
             border,
@@ -214,6 +225,52 @@ fn hsv(h: f32, s: f32, v: f32) -> Color {
     Color::Rgb(to(r), to(g), to(b))
 }
 
+/// WCAG relative luminance of a colour, 0.0 (black) – 1.0 (white). Channels are
+/// linearised (sRGB → linear) before weighting, so it tracks *perceived*
+/// brightness rather than raw RGB — what we need to reason about legibility.
+fn luminance(c: Color) -> f32 {
+    let Color::Rgb(r, g, b) = c else { return 0.0 };
+    let lin = |u: u8| {
+        let s = u as f32 / 255.0;
+        if s <= 0.03928 {
+            s / 12.92
+        } else {
+            ((s + 0.055) / 1.055).powf(2.4)
+        }
+    };
+    0.2126 * lin(r) + 0.7152 * lin(g) + 0.0722 * lin(b)
+}
+
+/// WCAG contrast ratio between two colours (1.0 = identical, 21.0 = black/white).
+/// 4.5 is the threshold for comfortable body text, 3.0 for incidental UI chrome.
+fn contrast(a: Color, b: Color) -> f32 {
+    let (la, lb) = (luminance(a), luminance(b));
+    let (hi, lo) = if la >= lb { (la, lb) } else { (lb, la) };
+    (hi + 0.05) / (lo + 0.05)
+}
+
+/// Derive a background relationally from the inks rolled for it. Walk the surface
+/// in the given `hue`/`sat` family from near-black upward and return the
+/// *lightest* value at which every `ink` still clears the 4.5:1 body-text floor.
+/// Because contrast only falls as the surface lightens, the lightest passing
+/// value is the most expressive background that's still legible. Pass only inks
+/// that are light enough to be satisfiable on some surface (e.g. `me`/`other`):
+/// an intrinsically dark ink can never clear the floor and would collapse the
+/// result to flat black.
+fn legible_bg(hue: f32, sat: f32, ink: &[Color]) -> Color {
+    const FLOOR: f32 = 4.5;
+    let mut best = hsv(hue, sat, 0.0); // darkest, highest-contrast fallback
+    let mut v = 0.0_f32;
+    while v <= 0.45 {
+        let bg = hsv(hue, sat, v);
+        if ink.iter().all(|&c| contrast(c, bg) >= FLOOR) {
+            best = bg; // still legible at this value — keep climbing for a richer tint
+        }
+        v += 0.005;
+    }
+    best
+}
+
 /// Tiny seeded xorshift64* PRNG — enough randomness to roll a fresh palette
 /// without pulling in the `rand` crate. Seeded from the wall clock so every
 /// `Ctrl+Alt+P` conjures a different vestment.
@@ -293,13 +350,46 @@ roster_width = 24
             t.sigil
         );
         assert_eq!(t.roster_width, 22);
-        // Surface must stay dark enough to read light ink against it.
-        if let Color::Rgb(r, g, b) = t.bg {
-            let sum = r as u16 + g as u16 + b as u16;
-            assert!(sum < 200, "bg too bright: {r},{g},{b}");
-        } else {
-            panic!("random bg should be Rgb");
+        assert!(matches!(t.bg, Color::Rgb(..)), "random bg should be Rgb");
+        // The surface is derived from the inks to stay legible: it must never be
+        // brighter than the text on it, and `me` (always near-white) must clear
+        // the body-text contrast floor against it.
+        assert!(
+            luminance(t.bg) <= luminance(t.me),
+            "bg should not outshine the ink"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            contrast(t.me, t.bg) >= 4.5,
+            "your ink must stay readable on the surface: {:.2}",
+            contrast(t.me, t.bg)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn legible_bg_is_relational_and_readable() {
+        // contrast() sanity: identical = 1, black/white = 21.
+        let white = Color::Rgb(255, 255, 255);
+        let black = Color::Rgb(0, 0, 0);
+        assert!((contrast(white, white) - 1.0).abs() < 1e-3);
+        assert!((contrast(white, black) - 21.0).abs() < 0.1);
+
+        // Given bright inks, the surface stays under the 4.5 floor yet isn't
+        // forced all the way to black — it earns a visible tint.
+        let inks = [Color::Rgb(0xff, 0xff, 0xff), Color::Rgb(0xd0, 0xd0, 0xd0)];
+        let bg = legible_bg(210.0, 0.5, &inks);
+        for ink in inks {
+            assert!(contrast(ink, bg) >= 4.5, "ink unreadable: {:.2}", contrast(ink, bg));
         }
+        assert!(luminance(bg) > 0.0, "bright inks should permit a tinted, non-black bg");
+
+        // A darker ink set forces a correspondingly deeper surface — the
+        // relationship runs the right way.
+        let dim_inks = [Color::Rgb(0x88, 0x88, 0x88)];
+        let dark_bg = legible_bg(210.0, 0.5, &dim_inks);
+        assert!(
+            luminance(dark_bg) <= luminance(bg),
+            "dimmer ink should yield a darker surface"
+        );
     }
 
     #[test]

hh/src/ui.rs

@@ -155,8 +155,8 @@ fn help_clusters(theme: &Theme) -> Vec<HelpCluster> {
                 ),
                 kv("/sbx stop", "tear down the sandbox (purges the VM)"),
                 kv(
-                    "/sbx save [label]",
-                    "snapshot state (docker image; survives stop)",
+                    "/sbx save [label] [--local]",
+                    "snapshot state (docker image; --local also writes a portable .tar)",
                 ),
                 kv(
                     "/sbx load <label>",
@@ -185,6 +185,11 @@ fn help_clusters(theme: &Theme) -> Vec<HelpCluster> {
                     "/sbx gui cancel",
                     "abort a pending launch (nothing stopped or installed)",
                 ),
+                kv(
+                    "/sbx vmsave <vm> [label] [--local]",
+                    "snapshot a VM (--local also exports a portable .ova)",
+                ),
+                kv("/sbx vmsnaps <vm>", "list a VM's snapshots"),
             ],
         },
         HelpCluster {

hh/themes/oc-demo.toml

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+name = "oc-demo"
+border = "#7C775C"
+title = "#FFFBE7"
+accent = "#0296E1"
+dim = "#A29A72"
+me = "#EBEBEC"
+other = "#E0D393"
+system = "#A49B6D"
+input = "#EBEBEC"
+roster_me = "#0296E1"
+bg = "#12110C"
+roster_width = 22
+sigil = "✝"