diff --git a/ship/SKILL.md b/ship/SKILL.md
index 3e246a9cd..98110d81d 100644
--- a/ship/SKILL.md
+++ b/ship/SKILL.md
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ not web services already deployed.
 
 The preflight merges the fetched base (`git merge`) so tests and reviews cover the integrated code (`MERGE:`; `up to date` if nothing new; `skipped` under stamp-at-merge).
 
-**Merge conflicts:** `MERGE:` names them. Auto-resolve simple ones (VERSION, schema.rb, CHANGELOG ordering). For complex or ambiguous conflicts, **STOP**: show the choices, ask via AskUserQuestion, wait for the answer before editing or continuing; then commit and rerun the preflight.
+**Merge conflicts:** `MERGE:` names them. Auto-resolve simple ones (VERSION, schema.rb, CHANGELOG ordering). For complex or ambiguous conflicts, **STOP**: show the choices, ask via AskUserQuestion, wait for the answer before going on; then commit and rerun the preflight.
 
 **Ship policy:** `POLICY:` is `gstack-ship-policy show-effective --base <base>`
 (docs/ship-policy.md); its `ship:` lines bind Steps 12-16 and history. `RUNTIME_LINES:` goes
diff --git a/ship/SKILL.md.tmpl b/ship/SKILL.md.tmpl
index 8f1058954..c3a39fd0c 100644
--- a/ship/SKILL.md.tmpl
+++ b/ship/SKILL.md.tmpl
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ not web services already deployed.
 
 The preflight merges the fetched base (`git merge`) so tests and reviews cover the integrated code (`MERGE:`; `up to date` if nothing new; `skipped` under stamp-at-merge).
 
-**Merge conflicts:** `MERGE:` names them. Auto-resolve simple ones (VERSION, schema.rb, CHANGELOG ordering). For complex or ambiguous conflicts, **STOP**: show the choices, ask via AskUserQuestion, wait for the answer before editing or continuing; then commit and rerun the preflight.
+**Merge conflicts:** `MERGE:` names them. Auto-resolve simple ones (VERSION, schema.rb, CHANGELOG ordering). For complex or ambiguous conflicts, **STOP**: show the choices, ask via AskUserQuestion, wait for the answer before going on; then commit and rerun the preflight.
 
 **Ship policy:** `POLICY:` is `gstack-ship-policy show-effective --base <base>`
 (docs/ship-policy.md); its `ship:` lines bind Steps 12-16 and history. `RUNTIME_LINES:` goes
diff --git a/test/size-ledger/ship/gst-430-notes-only-pass.json b/test/size-ledger/ship/gst-430-notes-only-pass.json
index f656d6ced..ac715c577 100644
--- a/test/size-ledger/ship/gst-430-notes-only-pass.json
+++ b/test/size-ledger/ship/gst-430-notes-only-pass.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
-  "bytes": 7,
-  "why": "GST-442/GST-444: Step 1.4 follows a scoped-review NEXT; Step 16 stage 2 and 3 route finish scoped-review STOP and --docs-requested with its --docs-result; trims in Steps 3, 12 and 16 keep the skill under its cap"
+  "bytes": -6,
+  "why": "GST-442/GST-444: Step 1.4 follows a scoped-review NEXT; Step 16 stage 2 and 3 route finish scoped-review STOP and --docs-requested with its --docs-result; trims in Steps 3, 12 and 16 keep the skill under its cap, and a Step 3 merge-conflict trim keeps the skeleton under maxSkeletonBytes with train 77 on main"
 }