ARES is drifting into pure generation mode. This week: 5,457 new LLM cache entries, zero thamus-cache hits, zero search_cache adds, zero cron runs, zero sefirot cache hits. The generative surface is roaring while every memory/deflection/maintenance layer underneath stays cold. Cost stays trivial ($0.025/day) precisely because nothing is being consulted — fresh generation is cheaper than the retrieval scaffolding suggests it should be, which is why no pressure ever builds to fix the scaffolding.