ask_operator tool: non-blocking; operator answer arrives as helper event

new mcp tool on the manager surface that queues a question on the
dashboard and returns the question id immediately. operator submits an
answer via /answer-question/<id>; the dashboard fires
HelperEvent::OperatorAnswered { id, question, answer } into the manager
inbox so the next turn picks it up.

also: fix async-form button stuck on spinner after successful submit
(refreshState skipped re-rendering, so the button was never re-enabled).

hive-c0re/assets/app.js

@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@
         if (btn) { btn.disabled = false; btn.innerHTML = original; }
         return;
       }
+      // Re-enable the button — refreshState() rebuilds most lists but
+      // skips forms that didn't change (e.g. the spawn form), so without
+      // this the spinner sticks and the button can't be clicked again.
+      if (btn) { btn.disabled = false; btn.innerHTML = original; }
+      // Clear text inputs whose value was just submitted.
+      f.querySelectorAll('input[type="text"], input:not([type]), textarea').forEach((i) => { i.value = ''; });
       refreshState();
     } catch (err) {
       alert('action failed: ' + err);
@@ -170,6 +176,49 @@
     root.append(ul);
   }
 
+  function renderQuestions(s) {
+    const root = $('questions-section');
+    root.innerHTML = '';
+    if (!s.questions || !s.questions.length) {
+      root.append(el('p', { class: 'empty' }, '▓ no pending questions ▓'));
+      return;
+    }
+    const fmt = (n) => new Date(n * 1000).toISOString().replace('T', ' ').slice(0, 19);
+    const ul = el('ul', { class: 'questions' });
+    for (const q of s.questions) {
+      const li = el('li', { class: 'question' });
+      li.append(
+        el('div', { class: 'q-head' },
+          el('span', { class: 'msg-ts' }, fmt(q.asked_at)), ' ',
+          el('span', { class: 'msg-from' }, q.asker), ' ',
+          el('span', { class: 'msg-sep' }, 'asks:'),
+        ),
+        el('div', { class: 'q-body' }, q.question),
+      );
+      const f = el('form', {
+        method: 'POST', action: '/answer-question/' + q.id,
+        class: 'qform', 'data-async': '',
+      });
+      let input;
+      if (q.options && q.options.length) {
+        input = el('select', { name: 'answer', required: '' });
+        input.append(el('option', { value: '', disabled: '', selected: '' }, 'choose…'));
+        for (const opt of q.options) {
+          input.append(el('option', { value: opt }, opt));
+        }
+      } else {
+        input = el('input', {
+          name: 'answer', type: 'text', required: '',
+          placeholder: 'your answer', autocomplete: 'off',
+        });
+      }
+      f.append(input, el('button', { type: 'submit', class: 'btn btn-approve' }, '▸ ANSW3R'));
+      li.append(f);
+      ul.append(li);
+    }
+    root.append(ul);
+  }
+
   function renderInbox(s) {
     const root = $('inbox-section');
     root.innerHTML = '';
@@ -250,6 +299,7 @@
       if (!resp.ok) throw new Error('http ' + resp.status);
       const s = await resp.json();
       renderContainers(s);
+      renderQuestions(s);
       renderInbox(s);
       renderApprovals(s);
       // Auto-refresh while a spawn is in flight; otherwise back off.

hive-c0re/assets/dashboard.css

@@ -193,6 +193,36 @@ summary:hover { color: var(--purple); }
 .diff .diff-hunk { color: var(--cyan); }
 .diff .diff-file { color: var(--purple); font-weight: bold; }
 .diff .diff-ctx  { color: var(--fg); }
+.questions {
+  background: var(--bg-elev);
+  border: 1px solid var(--amber);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 12px -4px var(--amber);
+  padding: 0.6em 0.9em;
+}
+.questions li.question {
+  padding: 0.4em 0;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+}
+.questions li.question:last-child { border-bottom: 0; }
+.questions .q-head { font-size: 0.9em; }
+.questions .q-body {
+  color: var(--fg);
+  margin: 0.3em 0;
+  white-space: pre-wrap;
+  word-break: break-word;
+}
+.qform { display: flex; gap: 0.6em; align-items: stretch; margin-top: 0.3em; }
+.qform input, .qform select {
+  font-family: inherit;
+  font-size: 1em;
+  background: var(--bg);
+  color: var(--fg);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  padding: 0.4em 0.6em;
+  flex: 1;
+}
+.qform input::placeholder { color: var(--muted); }
+.qform input:focus, .qform select:focus { outline: 1px solid var(--amber); }
 .inbox {
   background: var(--bg-elev);
   border: 1px solid var(--border);

hive-c0re/assets/index.html

@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
     <p class="meta">loading…</p>
   </div>
 
+  <h2>◆ M1ND H4S QU3STI0NS ◆</h2>
+  <div class="divider">══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════</div>
+  <div id="questions-section">
+    <p class="meta">loading…</p>
+  </div>
+
   <h2>◆ 0PER4T0R 1NB0X ◆</h2>
   <div class="divider">══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════</div>
   <div id="inbox-section">