diff --git a/docs/impl/plans/INITIAL.md b/docs/impl/plans/INITIAL.md
index 64aa5cc..fa68fed 100644
--- a/docs/impl/plans/INITIAL.md
+++ b/docs/impl/plans/INITIAL.md
@@ -28,3 +28,30 @@ clients that can already subscribe for themselves.
 2. Nav HTTP proxy to [svc-nav](gitea:yukart/svc-nav).
 3. Aggregation and rate limiting, once there is real CAN traffic to aggregate.
 4. Serial bridge, when an ESP32 client exists.
+
+## Two roles in one process
+
+This is both the local aggregation hub and the app gateway. That is allowed
+because the hub holds no durable state — it is rebuilt from retained topics on
+restart — but it holds only while these rules do:
+
+- Steady state is reached with **zero clients connected**. Nothing in aggregation
+  waits on a display.
+- The boundary is **drop-only**: bounded per-client queues, drop oldest, never
+  block. A tablet with its screen off must not stall aggregation.
+- **Backpressure never propagates inward.** Drop at the boundary; never slow the
+  bus subscription to match a slow client.
+- Per-client state is per-connection and never touches the aggregate.
+
+The point of the rules is that the seam stays visible. If the gateway ever needs
+to be a separate process, that becomes a refactor rather than a rewrite.
+
+## Links
+
+| Link | Shape | Initiator |
+|---|---|---|
+| Vehicle and nav state topics | subscribe | — |
+| Command topics | publish | — |
+| Downstream to app | simplex push stream, lossy-tolerant | app connects |
+| Upstream from app | simplex request/response, acknowledged | app |
+| Route requests onward | request/response, HTTP | this service |