diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 89469431..e58d82bd 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ jobs:
           echo "NIGHTLY_VERSION=${tree#v}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
       - name: Install the dependencies
-        run: make ARCH=amd64,aarch64,riscv64 init   # the image has all but the documents' packages
+        # INIT_PROOFS=0: the image's Isabelle has HOL-Library prebuilt; a full init would fetch a fresh
+        # Isabelle into the workspace and point isabelle at it, and the proofs would build HOL-Library
+        # from scratch -- killed (release run 196, v4.0.0-alpha.1)
+        run: make ARCH=amd64,aarch64,riscv64 init INIT_PROOFS=0   # the image has all but the documents' packages
 
       - name: Acceptance amd64
         run: scripts/nightly.sh accept amd64
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a8ad0b7a..409d7df9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2026-11-07 — LithosAnanke v4.0.0-alpha.2: the first published alpha
+
+`v4.0.0-alpha.1` (`233025da`) was accepted and tagged, but its release run (196) built HOL-Library
+from scratch in the proofs step and was killed: `release.yml`'s full `make init` replaced the
+image's Isabelle, the one with HOL-Library prebuilt. Nothing was published; the tag stays where it is
+(Captain Bob, 2026-11-07). `release.yml` now runs `init INIT_PROOFS=0`, and `v4.0.0-alpha.2` is the
+first alpha published -- the same system as below. `docs/fabric/FABRIC-3.md` XLVII.5.
+
 ## 2026-11-07 — LithosAnanke v4.0.0-alpha.1: the first alpha release
 
 The first alpha of the kernel, `v4.0.0-alpha.1`: v4, StarForth's F18 engine, is the system every
diff --git a/docs/fabric/FABRIC-3.md b/docs/fabric/FABRIC-3.md
index 82ca875d..755bc19a 100644
--- a/docs/fabric/FABRIC-3.md
+++ b/docs/fabric/FABRIC-3.md
@@ -6165,3 +6165,16 @@ Isabelle2025-2 (HOL-Library and its build database) is a package in this reposit
 `bb247846...e999cb339e`), and the image fetches it into Isabelle's system heaps, checksum pinned,
 its token a Docker build secret. Shown portable first: a fresh Isabelle home holding only that heap
 checks the StarForth session without rebuilding HOL-Library (24 s).
+
+### 5. v4.0.0-alpha.1 not published; v4.0.0-alpha.2
+
+PR #127 merged (`4f675c8b`, acceptance run 192 with the capsules signed); `runner-image.yml` built
+`lithosananke-runner:4f675c8b75b2` with HOL-Library fetched (checksum OK, 4.8 s); PR #128 moved the
+workflows onto it (`233025da`, acceptance run 195 in the new image). `v4.0.0-alpha.1` was tagged on
+`233025da`. Its release run (196) passed acceptance in full, then the proofs step built HOL-Library
+from scratch and was killed (exit 137): `release.yml` ran a full `make init` for the documents'
+packages, which also fetched Isabelle into the workspace and pointed `/usr/local/bin/isabelle` at it
+-- an Isabelle without the image's HOL-Library. Nothing was published. Ruled (Captain Bob,
+2026-11-07): the tag stays where it is; `release.yml` runs `init INIT_PROOFS=0` (as
+`nightly-docs.yml` does), `LITHOS_VERSION` becomes `4.0.0-alpha.2`, and `v4.0.0-alpha.2` is the
+first published alpha.
diff --git a/kernel/Makefile b/kernel/Makefile
index 81bcbd7b..a7c86bb5 100644
--- a/kernel/Makefile
+++ b/kernel/Makefile
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ endif
 #             v3.0.0, the first LTS, is no longer the next number -- an LTS line takes the next
 #             odd major when §XXX.5's criteria are met. The engine stays 3.2.0. Alphas are
 #             numbered (-alpha.N); a release repository takes each version once.
+#   v4.0.0-alpha.2 — the first published alpha: v4.0.0-alpha.1 (233025da) was accepted and tagged,
+#             but its release run's proofs step built HOL-Library from scratch and was killed, so
+#             nothing was published; the tag stays where it is (Captain Bob, 2026-11-07).
 # LITHOS_VERSION (kernel) and VERSION (embedded StarForth engine) are independent
 # and do not auto-sync (§XXX.4) — do not infer a relationship if they ever coincide.
 # Engine VERSION bumps at tag time by what actually changed (§XXX.6): major = any
@@ -103,7 +106,7 @@ endif
 # the messaging layer was replaced by kernel-Hermes, PLOT/FB-* relocated to Hestia —
 # all dictionary-visible, no FORTH-79 word semantics changed.
 VERSION       ?= 3.2.0
-LITHOS_VERSION ?= 4.0.0-alpha.1
+LITHOS_VERSION ?= 4.0.0-alpha.2
 
 # ==============================================================================
 # BUILD PATHS