Audit loop engine (cloud/audit_loop.py): Finding/PushbackPacket/LoopState pure functions; deterministic gates only, subjective -> needs_review; packet completeness enforced; standards-weakening -> escalate; regression and missing-gate checks enforce full re-run; MAX_PUSHBACKS=3, round>=3 -> escalate. Persistence in new single-row task_audit_loop_state (attempts DDL pattern: module CREATE_TABLE_SQL + db.py POSTGRES_SCHEMA + migrations list + server init + worker ensure); task_attempts NOT reused (attempt_no PK collision) and task_followups NOT reused (user messages). Worker.audit_loop_evaluate is the explicit opt-in hook (task audit_loop field only, no env switch, never called by run_one); escalate audits worker_audit_loop_escalated; corrupted/missing count fail-closes to escalate.
