diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..846a4f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Scott "R00tPiG Security" Lindsey <rootpig@georgelambert.org> (rootpig) — owner
diff --git a/OWNER.md b/OWNER.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7f075e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/OWNER.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Repository owner
+
+**Owner / credited author:** Scott "R00tPiG Security" Lindsey (`rootpig`)
+
+Forgejo: https://git.georgelambert.org/rootpig
+
+This repository is owned by **rootpig** for Verae Inc. server maintenance,
+deployment scripting, and related operations work.
+
+Co-contributors may appear in git history; ownership and ops credit belong to rootpig.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f5fc83b..2fb4b7d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # verae-uptime
 
-GET-watch the public Verae Time × Zapier doors from a host that is **not** the thing being watched. If NS1 is the only watcher, NS1 dying is silent.
+[![standard-readme compliant](https://img.shields.io/badge/readme%20style-standard-brightgreen.svg?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/RichardLitt/standard-readme)
+
+GET-watch the public Verae Time × Zapier doors from a host that is **not** the thing being watched. If NS1 is the...
 
 **Forgejo:** https://git.georgelambert.org/marchon/verae-uptime  
 **SSH:** `ssh://git@git.georgelambert.org:2223/marchon/verae-uptime.git`
@@ -19,3 +21,25 @@ node src/watch.js                 # loop + http://127.0.0.1:3870/status
 State: `~/.verae-uptime/status.json` and `watch.log`.
 
 This process does **not** speak NATS.
+
+## Install
+
+```sh
+git clone ssh://git@git.georgelambert.org:2223/marchon/verae-uptime.git
+cd verae-uptime
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+```sh
+npm install
+npm start
+```
+
+## Contributing
+
+Questions: open an issue at https://git.georgelambert.org/marchon/verae-uptime/issues. Pull requests are accepted.
+
+## License
+
+UNLICENSED © George Lambert