diff --git a/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts b/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts
index 74ee2ac..3d2295c 100644
--- a/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts
+++ b/packages/wc/components/presentation/wc.ts
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
   @state()
   accessor startedAt: number | null = null;
 
-  @state()
-  accessor countdownTargetMs: number | null = null;
-
   @state()
   accessor timerRunning = false;
 
@@ -106,18 +103,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
   @state()
   accessor jumpReturnSlideId: string | null = null;
 
-  /**
-   * Target-input click-to-edit state. The target value is set once at
-   * the start of a talk and rarely touched after; rendering an always-
-   * visible form field for it added permanent chrome clutter. When
-   * false the target reads as a small button showing the current
-   * value; click flips this to true and the button is replaced by an
-   * autofocused input. Blur or Enter commits and flips back; Escape
-   * discards.
-   */
-  @state()
-  accessor targetEditing = false;
-
   /**
    * Previous overview state, used in updated() to detect transitions
    * and re-anchor the scroll position to the current slide (the
@@ -126,11 +111,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
    */
   #prevOverview = false;
 
-  /** Ref for the target-edit input so we can focus on flip-to-edit. */
-  #targetInputRef = createRef<HTMLInputElement>();
-  /** Previous targetEditing state, used to fire focus on the entry edge. */
-  #prevTargetEditing = false;
-
   @property({ type: String })
   accessor uuid: string = "";
 
@@ -437,62 +417,56 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       font-style: italic;
     }
 
-    /* Three deliberate groups separated by hairline borders, mirroring
-       the audience toolbar's toolset language. Time on the left,
-       navigation centered ergonomically and visually, status + exit on
-       the right. */
+    /* Three free-floating overlay panels on the presenter's base
+       canvas, sharing the visual language of the drawing toolbar
+       (overlay background + hairline border + radius.md). Overlay
+       reads as "interactive control surface" in the tonal-layering
+       grammar: the surface tier carries informative content (notes,
+       stage, sidebar), the overlay tier carries controls. The
+       presenter chrome is the latter, so its panels live at the
+       overlay tier directly on base. No enclosing wrap. */
     .chrome {
       grid-column: 1 / -1;
       grid-row: 2;
       display: flex;
       align-items: stretch;
-      padding: ${dimension("space.xs")} 0;
-      background: ${color("overlay")};
-      border-radius: ${dimension("radius.md")};
+      justify-content: space-between;
+      gap: ${dimension("space.sm")};
       font-family: ${fontFamily("mono")};
       font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
-      overflow: hidden;
     }
 
-    .chrome-group {
+    .chrome-panel {
       display: flex;
+      flex: 0 0 auto;
       align-items: center;
-      gap: ${dimension("space.md")};
-      padding: 0 ${dimension("space.md")};
+      padding: ${dimension("space.xs")};
       min-width: 0;
-      position: relative;
+      gap: ${dimension("space.xs")};
+      background: ${color("overlay")};
+      border: 1px solid ${color("highlight.med")};
+      border-radius: ${dimension("radius.md")};
+      overflow: hidden;
     }
 
-    /* Inset section-break rule rather than a full-height border. A
-       top-to-bottom border on a tall content strip reads as the edge
-       of a control (a tall button or a bordered cell), not as a
-       group separator. Shortening the rule to the middle ~50% of the
-       chrome lets it read as editorial punctuation, the visual
-       equivalent of the middot the colophon and marquee use to
-       separate items. */
-    .chrome-group + .chrome-group::before {
-      content: "";
-      position: absolute;
-      left: 0;
-      top: 25%;
-      bottom: 25%;
-      width: 1px;
-      background-color: ${color("highlight.med")};
-      pointer-events: none;
+    /* Inter-cell hairlines within each panel, matching the audience
+       toolbar's "toolset > * + * { border-left }" pattern. Adjacent
+       icon buttons read as a row of deliberate controls and the
+       labeled time cells pick up the same cell-grid framing as the
+       buttons sitting next to them. */
+    .chrome-panel > * + * {
+      border-left: 1px solid ${color("highlight.med")};
     }
 
-    .chrome-group.time {
-      flex: 1 1 auto;
+    .chrome-panel.time {
       justify-content: flex-start;
     }
 
-    .chrome-group.nav {
-      flex: 0 0 auto;
+    .chrome-panel.nav {
       justify-content: center;
     }
 
-    .chrome-group.status {
-      flex: 1 1 auto;
+    .chrome-panel.status {
       justify-content: flex-end;
     }
 
@@ -506,12 +480,13 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       display: flex;
       flex-direction: column;
       align-items: flex-start;
-      gap: 0.1em;
+      gap: 0.2em;
       line-height: 1;
+      padding: 0 ${dimension("space.xs")};
     }
 
     .time-label {
-      font-size: 0.65rem;
+      font-size: 0.7rem;
       letter-spacing: ${dimension("tracking.wide")};
       text-transform: uppercase;
       color: ${color("muted")};
@@ -523,60 +498,33 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       font-feature-settings: "tnum";
       letter-spacing: 0.04em;
       color: ${color("text")};
+      /* Lock the value column to its widest natural form (MM:SS) so
+         the time panel doesn't reflow as digits tick. 5ch covers
+         digit width; the +0.2em accounts for the 0.04em letter-
+         spacing across 5 chars so the locked column matches the
+         actual rendered width. */
+      min-width: calc(5ch + 0.2em);
     }
 
     .time-value.muted {
       color: ${color("subtle")};
     }
 
-    .time-value.danger {
-      color: ${color("danger")};
-    }
-
-    /* Click-to-edit target affordance. The default state reads as a
-       value that happens to be interactive; pointer cursor and hover
-       state signal editability, the tooltip names the action. */
-    button.time-target-button {
-      all: unset;
-      cursor: pointer;
-      font-size: 1.3rem;
-      font-family: inherit;
-      font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
-      font-feature-settings: "tnum";
-      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
-      color: ${color("subtle")};
-      padding: 0;
-      transition: color ${duration("quick")} ${cubicBezier("out-quart")};
-    }
-
-    button.time-target-button:hover,
-    button.time-target-button:focus-visible {
-      color: ${color("text")};
-    }
-
-    .time-target-input {
-      all: unset;
-      width: 5ch;
-      font-family: inherit;
-      font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
-      font-feature-settings: "tnum";
-      font-size: 1.3rem;
-      color: ${color("text")};
-      background: transparent;
-      border-bottom: 1px solid ${color("link")};
-      padding: 0 0.1em;
-      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
-    }
-
     button.chrome-button {
       all: unset;
       cursor: pointer;
       color: ${color("subtle")};
-      padding: 0.35em 0.5em;
-      border-radius: ${dimension("radius.sm")};
       display: inline-flex;
       align-items: center;
       justify-content: center;
+      align-self: stretch;
+      /* Square hit area: height comes from align-self: stretch
+         matching the panel content, width is locked to the same
+         dimension via aspect-ratio. Icons sit centered in a
+         consistent square cell, matching the audience toolbar's
+         uniform button language. */
+      aspect-ratio: 1 / 1;
+      border-radius: ${dimension("radius.sm")};
     }
 
     button.chrome-button:hover {
@@ -584,9 +532,20 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       color: ${color("text")};
     }
 
+    button.chrome-button svg {
+      width: 1.2em;
+      height: 1.2em;
+      display: block;
+    }
+
     /* Counter is single-line and width-stable, so navigation doesn't
        reflow mid-talk and the eye locks onto a fixed position when
-       scanning slide progress. */
+       scanning slide progress. The cell-grid hairline is removed on
+       this element specifically because the counter is text-only (no
+       align-self stretch + no padding), so its border-left renders
+       shorter than the buttons around it. The bordered button on its
+       right side still separates it visually from the next-slide
+       button. */
     .slide-counter {
       color: ${color("text")};
       font-size: 1rem;
@@ -594,16 +553,56 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
       white-space: nowrap;
       min-width: 5ch;
       text-align: center;
-    }
+      border-left: none;
+    }
+
+    /* Floating jumpback callout, anchored to the bottom-left of the
+       stage when a return slide is stored. Lives outside the chrome
+       so its appearance never reflows the navigation row, and so
+       the affordance reads as a stage-level "you can go back" cue
+       instead of a tiny icon lost in a row of controls. Uses the
+       link tier so it captures the presenter's attention; this is
+       the single moment of brand color in the presenter UI, which
+       the One Iris Rule allows since presenter chrome is not slide
+       content. */
+    .jumpback-float {
+      position: absolute;
+      bottom: ${dimension("space.sm")};
+      left: ${dimension("space.sm")};
+      z-index: 4;
 
-    /* Reserve a fixed width for jumpback so the nav row doesn't
-       reflow when a return slide is set or consumed. The button
-       appears in place rather than pushing siblings sideways. */
-    .jumpback-slot {
       display: inline-flex;
       align-items: center;
-      justify-content: center;
-      min-width: 3em;
+      gap: 0.4em;
+
+      background: ${color("overlay")};
+      border: 1px solid ${color("highlight.med")};
+      border-radius: ${dimension("radius.md")};
+      padding: 0.45em 0.75em;
+
+      color: ${color("link")};
+      font-family: ${fontFamily("mono")};
+      font-variation-settings: "MONO" 1;
+      font-size: 0.85rem;
+      font-weight: 500;
+
+      cursor: pointer;
+      transition:
+        background-color ${duration("quick")} ${cubicBezier("out-quart")},
+        color ${duration("quick")} ${cubicBezier("out-quart")};
+    }
+
+    .jumpback-float:hover,
+    .jumpback-float:focus-visible {
+      background: ${color("highlight.med")};
+      color: ${color("text")};
+      outline: none;
+    }
+
+    .jumpback-float svg {
+      width: 1.2em;
+      height: 1.2em;
+      flex: none;
     }
 
     /* In presenter mode, slides are projected into named slots as
@@ -875,9 +874,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
         this.currentIndex = ctx.currentIndex;
       }
       if (ctx.startedAt !== this.startedAt) this.startedAt = ctx.startedAt;
-      if (ctx.countdownTargetMs !== this.countdownTargetMs) {
-        this.countdownTargetMs = ctx.countdownTargetMs;
-      }
       if (ctx.timerRunning !== this.timerRunning) {
         this.timerRunning = ctx.timerRunning;
       }
@@ -984,22 +980,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
         }
       });
     }
-    // Target click-to-edit: focus and select the input on the entry
-    // edge so the user can start typing immediately. autofocus is
-    // unreliable for elements added to the DOM after page load, so
-    // drive it explicitly off the state transition.
-    if (this.#prevTargetEditing !== this.targetEditing) {
-      this.#prevTargetEditing = this.targetEditing;
-      if (this.targetEditing) {
-        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-          const input = this.#targetInputRef.value;
-          if (input) {
-            input.focus();
-            input.select();
-          }
-        });
-      }
-    }
     this.#syncSlots();
     this.#syncNotesContent();
   }
@@ -1123,14 +1103,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
     }`;
   }
 
-  #targetAsString(): string {
-    const target = this.countdownTargetMs;
-    if (target === null) return "";
-    const m = Math.floor(target / 60000);
-    const s = Math.floor((target / 1000) % 60);
-    return `${String(m).padStart(2, "0")}:${String(s).padStart(2, "0")}`;
-  }
-
   override render() {
     if (this.role !== "presenter") {
       // Audience: no canvas overlay at this level. Each slide hosts its
@@ -1245,6 +1217,7 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
             </svg>
           </button>
         </div>
+        ${this.#renderJumpbackFloat()}
       </div>
       <div class="sidebar">
         <div class="next">
@@ -1260,6 +1233,44 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
     `;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Floating jumpback callout anchored to the bottom-left of the
+   * stage. Renders only when there's a return slide stored. Lives
+   * outside the chrome so it doesn't reflow the navigation row, and
+   * sits at stage scale so it actually captures attention; the
+   * chrome-cluster version was too small to register.
+   */
+  #renderJumpbackFloat() {
+    if (this.jumpReturnSlideId === null) return nothing;
+    const returnSlideIndex = this.slides.findIndex(
+      (s) => s.id === this.jumpReturnSlideId,
+    );
+    if (returnSlideIndex < 0) return nothing;
+    const returnLabel = String(returnSlideIndex + 1);
+    return html`
+      <button
+        class="jumpback-float"
+        @click=${this.#jumpBack}
+        aria-label="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
+        title="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
+      >
+        <svg
+          xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+          viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+          stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
+          stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+          aria-hidden="true"
+          focusable="false"
+        >
+          <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+          <path d="M9 14l-4 -4l4 -4" />
+          <path d="M5 10h11a4 4 0 1 1 0 8h-1" />
+        </svg>
+        <span>Back to slide ${returnLabel}</span>
+      </button>
+    `;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Presenter chrome strip: three hairline-separated groups echoing
    * the audience toolbar's toolset language. Time on the left
@@ -1276,68 +1287,70 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
   #renderChrome() {
     const total = this.slides.length;
     const elapsed = this.#elapsedMs();
-    const target = this.countdownTargetMs;
-    const remaining = target !== null ? target - elapsed : null;
-    const canJumpBack = this.jumpReturnSlideId !== null;
-    const returnSlideIndex = canJumpBack
-      ? this.slides.findIndex((s) => s.id === this.jumpReturnSlideId)
-      : -1;
-    const returnLabel = returnSlideIndex >= 0
-      ? String(returnSlideIndex + 1)
-      : "";
-    const targetText = this.#targetAsString();
     return html`
       <div class="chrome">
-        <div class="chrome-group time" role="group" aria-label="Time">
+        <div class="chrome-panel time" role="group" aria-label="Time">
           <div class="time-cell">
             <span class="time-label">Elapsed</span>
             <span class="time-value">${this.#formatMs(elapsed)}</span>
           </div>
-          ${
-      remaining !== null
-        ? html`<div class="time-cell">
-              <span class="time-label">Left</span>
-              <span
-                class="time-value ${remaining < 0 ? "danger" : "muted"}"
-              >${this.#formatMs(remaining)}</span>
-            </div>`
-        : nothing
-    }
           <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#toggleTimer}
             aria-label=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}
-            title=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}
-            >${this.timerRunning ? "❚❚" : "▶"}</button>
-          <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#resetTimer}
-            aria-label="Reset timer"
-            title="Reset timer">↺</button>
-          <div class="time-cell">
-            <span class="time-label">Target</span>
+            title=${this.timerRunning ? "Pause timer" : "Start timer"}>
             ${
-      this.targetEditing
-        ? html`<input
-                ${ref(this.#targetInputRef)}
-                class="time-target-input"
-                type="text"
-                .value=${targetText}
-                placeholder="40:00"
-                aria-label="Talk duration in minutes and seconds"
-                @blur=${this.#commitTargetEdit}
-                @keydown=${this.#onTargetKeydown}
-              />`
-        : html`<button
-                class="time-target-button"
-                type="button"
-                @click=${this.#startTargetEdit}
-                aria-label="Set talk duration"
-                title="Click to set talk duration"
-              >${targetText || "—:—"}</button>`
+      this.timerRunning
+        ? html`<svg
+                xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+                viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor"
+                aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
+              >
+                <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+                <path d="M9 4h-2a2 2 0 0 0 -2 2v12a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2a2 2 0 0 0 2 -2v-12a2 2 0 0 0 -2 -2z" />
+                <path d="M17 4h-2a2 2 0 0 0 -2 2v12a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2a2 2 0 0 0 2 -2v-12a2 2 0 0 0 -2 -2z" />
+              </svg>`
+        : html`<svg
+                xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+                viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor"
+                aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
+              >
+                <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+                <path d="M7 4v16l13 -8z" />
+              </svg>`
     }
-          </div>
+          </button>
+          <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#resetTimer}
+            aria-label="Reset timer"
+            title="Reset timer">
+            <svg
+              xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+              stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
+              stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+              aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
+            >
+              <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+              <path d="M20 11a8.1 8.1 0 0 0 -15.5 -2m-.5 -4v4h4" />
+              <path d="M4 13a8.1 8.1 0 0 0 15.5 2m.5 4v-4h-4" />
+            </svg>
+          </button>
         </div>
 
-        <div class="chrome-group nav" role="group" aria-label="Navigate">
+        <div class="chrome-panel nav" role="group" aria-label="Navigate">
           <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#prev}
-            aria-label="Previous slide">◀</button>
+            aria-label="Previous slide">
+            <svg
+              xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+              stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
+              stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+              aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
+            >
+              <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+              <path d="M5 12l14 0" />
+              <path d="M5 12l6 6" />
+              <path d="M5 12l6 -6" />
+            </svg>
+          </button>
           <span
             class="slide-counter"
             aria-live="polite"
@@ -1345,7 +1358,20 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
             aria-label="Slide ${this.currentIndex + 1} of ${total}"
           >${this.currentIndex + 1} / ${total}</span>
           <button class="chrome-button" @click=${this.#next}
-            aria-label="Next slide">▶</button>
+            aria-label="Next slide">
+            <svg
+              xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+              stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
+              stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+              aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
+            >
+              <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
+              <path d="M5 12l14 0" />
+              <path d="M13 18l6 -6" />
+              <path d="M13 6l6 6" />
+            </svg>
+          </button>
           <button
             class="chrome-button ${this.overview ? "active" : ""}"
             @click=${this.#toggleOverviewFromChrome}
@@ -1354,7 +1380,8 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
           >
             <svg
               xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
-              width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor"
+              aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
             >
               <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
               <path d="M9 3a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v4a2 2 0 0 1 -2 2h-4a2 2 0 0 1 -2 -2v-4a2 2 0 0 1 2 -2z" />
@@ -1363,33 +1390,9 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
               <path d="M19 13a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v4a2 2 0 0 1 -2 2h-4a2 2 0 0 1 -2 -2v-4a2 2 0 0 1 2 -2z" />
             </svg>
           </button>
-          <span class="jumpback-slot">
-            ${
-      canJumpBack
-        ? html`<button
-              class="chrome-button jumpback"
-              @click=${this.#jumpBack}
-              aria-label="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
-              title="Jump back to slide ${returnLabel} (b)"
-            >
-              <svg
-                xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
-                width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
-                stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
-                stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
-              >
-                <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
-                <path d="M9 14l-4 -4l4 -4" />
-                <path d="M5 10h11a4 4 0 1 1 0 8h-1" />
-              </svg>
-              <span class="jumpback-label">${returnLabel}</span>
-            </button>`
-        : nothing
-    }
-          </span>
         </div>
 
-        <div class="chrome-group status" role="group" aria-label="Status">
+        <div class="chrome-panel status" role="group" aria-label="Status">
           <div class="time-cell">
             <span class="time-label">Clock</span>
             <span class="time-value muted">${this.#formatClock()}</span>
@@ -1399,9 +1402,10 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
             title="Exit presenter mode (Esc)">
             <svg
               xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
-              width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
               stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
               stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"
+              aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"
             >
               <path stroke="none" d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none" />
               <path d="M14 8v-2a2 2 0 0 0 -2 -2h-7a2 2 0 0 0 -2 2v12a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h7a2 2 0 0 0 2 -2v-2" />
@@ -1434,48 +1438,6 @@ export class PresentationWC extends LitElement {
     }
   };
 
-  #startTargetEdit = () => {
-    this.targetEditing = true;
-  };
-
-  /**
-   * Commit the input's current value as the countdown target and exit
-   * edit mode. Empty value clears the target (back to count-up only);
-   * an `M` or `MM:SS` shape parses; anything else is dropped silently
-   * (the user typed garbage, just close the editor without changing
-   * state). Called on blur and on Enter (via #onTargetKeydown).
-   */
-  #commitTargetEdit = (e: Event) => {
-    const value = (e.target as HTMLInputElement).value.trim();
-    this.targetEditing = false;
-    if (!value) {
-      this.presentation.send({ type: "timer.setTarget", ms: null });
-      return;
-    }
-    const match = value.match(/^(\d+)(?::(\d{1,2}))?$/);
-    if (!match) return;
-    const minutes = parseInt(match[1], 10);
-    const seconds = match[2] ? parseInt(match[2], 10) : 0;
-    this.presentation.send({
-      type: "timer.setTarget",
-      ms: (minutes * 60 + seconds) * 1000,
-    });
-  };
-
-  #onTargetKeydown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-    if (e.key === "Enter") {
-      // Blur fires #commitTargetEdit.
-      (e.target as HTMLInputElement).blur();
-    } else if (e.key === "Escape") {
-      // Discard: exit edit mode without firing the blur handler. We
-      // can't preventDefault Escape's focus loss, so flip the state
-      // first then remove the listener path by setting value back to
-      // its committed form (the input will re-render as a button on
-      // the next paint).
-      this.targetEditing = false;
-    }
-  };
-
   // ─── Drawing ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   #setTool = (tool: Tool) => {