diff --git a/WhiteMagic/Assembly/CallingConvention.cs b/WhiteMagic/Assembly/CallConvention.cs
similarity index 76%
rename from WhiteMagic/Assembly/CallingConvention.cs
rename to WhiteMagic/Assembly/CallConvention.cs
index 5a16a85..88ae08e 100644
--- a/WhiteMagic/Assembly/CallingConvention.cs
+++ b/WhiteMagic/Assembly/CallConvention.cs
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ namespace WhiteMagic.Assembly;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// x86/x86-64 calling conventions for call-stub generation.
+/// Named <c>CallConvention</c> (not <c>CallingConvention</c>) to avoid ambiguity with
+/// <see cref="System.Runtime.InteropServices.CallingConvention"/>.
 /// </summary>
-public enum CallingConvention
+public enum CallConvention
 {
     /// <summary>Caller pushes args right-to-left and cleans the stack (x86).</summary>
     Cdecl,
diff --git a/WhiteMagic/Assembly/IAssembler.cs b/WhiteMagic/Assembly/IAssembler.cs
index 321c4d8..a924560 100644
--- a/WhiteMagic/Assembly/IAssembler.cs
+++ b/WhiteMagic/Assembly/IAssembler.cs
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ namespace WhiteMagic.Assembly;
 /// <see cref="IcedAssembler"/> (Phase 8) handles arbitrary mnemonics via the Iced
 /// library.
 /// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+/// This seam covers text assembly only (<see cref="Assemble"/>). Call-stub building
+/// (<c>BuildCallStub</c>, <c>EmitU8</c>/<c>EmitU32</c>/<c>EmitU64</c>) is a
+/// <see cref="StubAssembler"/> capability — not all backends need it.
+/// </remarks>
 public interface IAssembler
 {
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/WhiteMagic/Assembly/StubAssembler.cs b/WhiteMagic/Assembly/StubAssembler.cs
index e22db38..ca35ed0 100644
--- a/WhiteMagic/Assembly/StubAssembler.cs
+++ b/WhiteMagic/Assembly/StubAssembler.cs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace WhiteMagic.Assembly;
 /// emitter, not a text assembler). Use <see cref="IcedAssembler"/> (Phase 8) for
 /// arbitrary mnemonics.
 /// </remarks>
-public class StubAssembler : IAssembler
+public sealed class StubAssembler : IAssembler
 {
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public byte[] Assemble(string assemblyText, ulong origin = 0)
@@ -41,70 +41,113 @@ public class StubAssembler : IAssembler
 
     // ── Call-stub builders ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Builds a calling-convention call stub for x86 or x64.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="stubAddress">Where the stub lands (for E8 rel32 encoding).</param>
+    /// <param name="targetAddress">Function to call.</param>
+    /// <param name="arguments">Argument values (uint[] — each 4 or 8 bytes per pointerSize).</param>
+    /// <param name="pointerSize">4 (x86) or 8 (x64).</param>
+    /// <param name="convention">Calling convention.</param>
+    /// <exception cref="ArgumentOutOfRangeException"><paramref name="pointerSize"/> is not 4 or 8,
+    /// or <paramref name="convention"/> is not known, or the distance between stub and target
+    /// exceeds the E8 rel32 range.</exception>
     public byte[] BuildCallStub(IntPtr stubAddress, IntPtr targetAddress,
-        uint[] arguments, int pointerSize, CallingConvention convention)
+        uint[] arguments, int pointerSize, CallConvention convention)
     {
         var buffer = new List<byte>(64);
 
         if (pointerSize == 4)
-            BuildX86Stub(buffer, (uint)stubAddress, (uint)targetAddress, arguments, convention);
+        {
+            BuildX86Stub(buffer, checked((uint)stubAddress), checked((uint)targetAddress),
+                arguments, convention);
+        }
+        else if (pointerSize == 8)
+        {
+            // Windows x64 uses a single ABI — the convention parameter is unused.
+            BuildX64Stub(buffer, (ulong)(nint)stubAddress, (ulong)(nint)targetAddress, arguments);
+        }
         else
-            BuildX64Stub(buffer, (ulong)stubAddress, (ulong)targetAddress, arguments);
+        {
+            throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(pointerSize), pointerSize,
+                $"Expected 4 (x86) or 8 (x64), got {pointerSize}.");
+        }
 
         return buffer.ToArray();
     }
 
     private void BuildX86Stub(List<byte> buffer, uint stubAddr,
-        uint target, uint[] args, CallingConvention convention)
+        uint target, uint[] args, CallConvention convention)
     {
         uint current = stubAddr;
+        int argIndex = 0;
 
         switch (convention)
         {
-            case CallingConvention.Thiscall when args.Length >= 1:
-                buffer.Add(0xB9);         // mov ecx, arg0
-                EmitU32(buffer, args[0]);
-                current += 5;
-                args = args[1..];
+            case CallConvention.Thiscall when args.Length - argIndex >= 1:
+                EmitMovRegImm32(buffer, 0xB9, args[argIndex], ref current); // mov ecx, arg0
+                argIndex++;
                 break;
 
-            case CallingConvention.Fastcall:
-                if (args.Length >= 1)
+            case CallConvention.Fastcall:
+                if (args.Length - argIndex >= 1)
                 {
-                    buffer.Add(0xB9);     // mov ecx, arg0
-                    EmitU32(buffer, args[0]);
-                    current += 5;
-                    args = args[1..];
+                    EmitMovRegImm32(buffer, 0xB9, args[argIndex], ref current); // mov ecx, arg0
+                    argIndex++;
                 }
-                if (args.Length >= 1)
+                if (args.Length - argIndex >= 1)
                 {
-                    buffer.Add(0xBA);     // mov edx, arg1
-                    EmitU32(buffer, args[0]);
-                    current += 5;
-                    args = args[1..];
+                    EmitMovRegImm32(buffer, 0xBA, args[argIndex], ref current); // mov edx, arg1
+                    argIndex++;
                 }
                 break;
+
+            case CallConvention.Cdecl:
+            case CallConvention.Stdcall:
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(convention), convention,
+                    $"Unsupported calling convention: {convention}.");
         }
 
-        // Push remaining args in reverse order
-        for (int i = args.Length - 1; i >= 0; i--)
+        // Push remaining args in reverse order (right-to-left)
+        for (int i = args.Length - 1; i >= argIndex; i--)
         {
+            current += 5;
             buffer.Add(0x68);             // push imm32
             EmitU32(buffer, args[i]);
-            current += 5;
         }
 
         // call rel32
-        uint rel32 = target - (current + 5);
+        long distance = (long)target - (long)(current + 5);
+        if (distance < int.MinValue || distance > int.MaxValue)
+        {
+            throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(
+                $"target (0x{target:X}) is >2 GiB from stub (0x{stubAddr:X}); " +
+                "E8 rel32 cannot encode this distance. Place the stub closer to the target.");
+        }
         buffer.Add(0xE8);
-        EmitU32(buffer, rel32);
+        EmitU32(buffer, (uint)distance);
+        current += 5;
 
         // Caller cleanup (cdecl only)
-        if (convention == CallingConvention.Cdecl && args.Length > 0)
+        int stackCount = args.Length - argIndex;
+        if (convention == CallConvention.Cdecl && stackCount > 0)
         {
-            buffer.Add(0x83);             // add esp, imm8
-            buffer.Add(0xC4);
-            buffer.Add((byte)(args.Length * 4));
+            int cleanup = stackCount * 4;
+            if (cleanup <= 127)
+            {
+                buffer.Add(0x83);          // add esp, imm8
+                buffer.Add(0xC4);
+                buffer.Add((byte)cleanup);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                buffer.Add(0x81);          // add esp, imm32
+                buffer.Add(0xC4);
+                EmitU32(buffer, (uint)cleanup);
+            }
         }
 
         buffer.Add(0xC3);                 // ret
@@ -113,11 +156,11 @@ public class StubAssembler : IAssembler
     private void BuildX64Stub(List<byte> buffer, ulong stubAddr,
         ulong target, uint[] args)
     {
+        // Windows x64 single ABI: first 4 args in RCX, RDX, R8D, R9D.
         ulong current = stubAddr;
 
-        // First 4 args go in RCX, RDX, R8D, R9D
-        var regCodes = new byte[] { 0xB9, 0xBA, 0xB8, 0xB9 }; // mov ecx/r8d/edx/r9d, imm32
-        var rexBytes = new byte[] { 0x00, 0x00, 0x41, 0x41 }; // 0x00 = no REX, 0x41 = REX.B
+        var regCodes = new byte[] { 0xB9, 0xBA, 0xB8, 0xB9 };
+        var rexBytes = new byte[] { 0x00, 0x00, 0x41, 0x41 };
 
         int regCount = Math.Min(args.Length, 4);
         for (int i = 0; i < regCount; i++)
@@ -129,33 +172,51 @@ public class StubAssembler : IAssembler
             current += (rexBytes[i] != 0 ? 6u : 5u);
         }
 
-        // Push remaining args in reverse order (right-to-left)
+        // Push remaining args in reverse order
         for (int i = args.Length - 1; i >= 4; i--)
         {
-            buffer.Add(0x68); // push imm32
-            EmitU32(buffer, args[i]);
             current += 5;
+            buffer.Add(0x68);
+            EmitU32(buffer, args[i]);
         }
 
         // call rel32
-        uint rel32 = (uint)(target - (current + 5));
+        long distance = (long)target - (long)(current + 5);
+        if (distance < int.MinValue || distance > int.MaxValue)
+        {
+            throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(
+                "target and stub are >2 GiB apart; E8 rel32 cannot encode this distance.");
+        }
         buffer.Add(0xE8);
-        EmitU32(buffer, rel32);
+        EmitU32(buffer, (uint)distance);
 
-        // Caller cleanup: pop any args pushed on stack
+        // Pop any args pushed on stack (x64 is caller-clean)
         int stackArgs = args.Length > 4 ? args.Length - 4 : 0;
         if (stackArgs > 0)
         {
             int bytes = stackArgs * 8;
-            buffer.Add(0x48); // REX.W
+            buffer.Add(0x48);             // REX.W
             buffer.Add(bytes <= 127 ? (byte)0x83 : (byte)0x81); // add r/m64, imm8/imm32
-            buffer.Add(0xC4); // rsp
+            buffer.Add(0xC4);             // rsp
             if (bytes <= 127)
                 buffer.Add((byte)bytes);
             else
                 EmitU32(buffer, (uint)bytes);
         }
 
-        buffer.Add(0xC3); // ret
+        buffer.Add(0xC3);
+    }
+
+    // ── Instruction helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    /// <summary>Emit <c>mov reg32, imm32</c> and advances <paramref name="ip"/> by 5.</summary>
+    private static void EmitMovRegImm32(List<byte> buffer, byte opcode, uint imm32, ref uint ip)
+    {
+        buffer.Add(opcode);
+        buffer.Add((byte)imm32);
+        buffer.Add((byte)(imm32 >> 8));
+        buffer.Add((byte)(imm32 >> 16));
+        buffer.Add((byte)(imm32 >> 24));
+        ip += 5;
     }
 }
diff --git a/WhiteMagicTest/StubAssemblerTests.cs b/WhiteMagicTest/StubAssemblerTests.cs
index ec8f01a..89acb4e 100644
--- a/WhiteMagicTest/StubAssemblerTests.cs
+++ b/WhiteMagicTest/StubAssemblerTests.cs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
     {
         uint r = 0x12345678u-(0x10000000u+5);
         Assert.Equal([0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[],4,CallingConvention.Cdecl));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[],4,CallConvention.Cdecl));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0x68,0xDD,0xCC,0xBB,0xAA,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),
             0x83,0xC4,0x04,0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAABBCCDD],4,CallingConvention.Cdecl));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAABBCCDD],4,CallConvention.Cdecl));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0x68,0x11,0x11,0x11,0x11,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),
             0x83,0xC4,0x08,0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0x11111111,0x22222222],4,CallingConvention.Cdecl));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0x11111111,0x22222222],4,CallConvention.Cdecl));
     }
 
     // ── x86 stdcall ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
         Assert.Equal([
             0x68,0xDD,0xCC,0xBB,0xAA,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAABBCCDD],4,CallingConvention.Stdcall));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAABBCCDD],4,CallConvention.Stdcall));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0x68,0x22,0x22,0x22,0x22,
             0x68,0x11,0x11,0x11,0x11,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0x11111111,0x22222222],4,CallingConvention.Stdcall));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0x11111111,0x22222222],4,CallConvention.Stdcall));
     }
 
     // ── x86 thiscall ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -82,18 +82,25 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0xB9,0x55,0x55,0xAA,0xAA,
             0x68,0x66,0x66,0xBB,0xBB,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAAAA5555,0xBBBB6666],4,CallingConvention.Thiscall));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAAAA5555,0xBBBB6666],4,CallConvention.Thiscall));
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void Thiscall_1arg()
+    public void Thiscall_1arg_ecx_only()
     {
         uint ca=0x10000000u+5,r=0x12345678u-(ca+5);
-        byte[] s=Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xCAFEBABE],4,CallingConvention.Thiscall);
+        byte[] s=Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xCAFEBABE],4,CallConvention.Thiscall);
         Assert.Equal(11,s.Length); Assert.Equal(0xB9,s[0]); Assert.Equal(0xCAFEBABE,BitConverter.ToUInt32(s,1));
         Assert.Equal(0xE8,s[5]); Assert.Equal(r,BitConverter.ToUInt32(s,6)); Assert.Equal(0xC3,s[10]);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void Thiscall_0args_throws()
+    {
+        Assert.Throws<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() =>
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[],4,CallConvention.Thiscall));
+    }
+
     // ── x86 fastcall ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     [Fact]
@@ -105,19 +112,27 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0xBA,0x22,0x22,0x22,0x22,
             0x68,0x33,0x33,0x33,0x33,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0x11111111,0x22222222,0x33333333],4,CallingConvention.Fastcall));
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0x11111111,0x22222222,0x33333333],4,CallConvention.Fastcall));
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void Fastcall_2args()
+    public void Fastcall_2args_registers_only()
     {
         uint ca=0x10000000u+10,r=0x12345678u-(ca+5);
-        byte[] s=Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAAAAAAAA,0xBBBBBBBB],4,CallingConvention.Fastcall);
+        byte[] s=Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[0xAAAAAAAA,0xBBBBBBBB],4,CallConvention.Fastcall);
         Assert.Equal(16,s.Length); Assert.Equal(0xB9,s[0]); Assert.Equal(0xAAAAAAAA,BitConverter.ToUInt32(s,1));
         Assert.Equal(0xBA,s[5]); Assert.Equal(0xBBBBBBBB,BitConverter.ToUInt32(s,6));
         Assert.Equal(0xE8,s[10]); Assert.Equal(r,BitConverter.ToUInt32(s,11)); Assert.Equal(0xC3,s[15]);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void Fastcall_0args_is_valid()
+    {
+        uint r=0x12345678u-(0x10000000u+5);
+        Assert.Equal([0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000,(IntPtr)0x12345678,[],4,CallConvention.Fastcall));
+    }
+
     // ── x64 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     [Fact]
@@ -125,7 +140,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
     {
         var s=Create(); ulong a=0x100000000,t=0x123456788;
         uint r=(uint)(t-(a+5));
-        byte[] stub=s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[],8,CallingConvention.Cdecl);
+        byte[] stub=s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[],8,CallConvention.Cdecl);
         Assert.Equal(6,stub.Length); Assert.Equal(0xE8,stub[0]); Assert.Equal(r,BitConverter.ToUInt32(stub,1)); Assert.Equal(0xC3,stub[5]);
     }
 
@@ -137,7 +152,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
         Assert.Equal([
             0xB9,0xDD,0xCC,0xBB,0xAA,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[0xAABBCCDD],8,CallingConvention.Cdecl));
+            s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[0xAABBCCDD],8,CallConvention.Cdecl));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -149,7 +164,7 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0xB9,0x11,0x11,0x11,0x11, 0xBA,0x22,0x22,0x22,0x22,
             0x41,0xB8,0x33,0x33,0x33,0x33, 0x41,0xB9,0x44,0x44,0x44,0x44,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),0xC3],
-            s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[0x11111111,0x22222222,0x33333333,0x44444444],8,CallingConvention.Cdecl));
+            s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[0x11111111,0x22222222,0x33333333,0x44444444],8,CallConvention.Cdecl));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -163,10 +178,52 @@ public class StubAssemblerTests
             0x68,5,0,0,0,
             0xE8,(byte)r,(byte)(r>>8),(byte)(r>>16),(byte)(r>>24),
             0x48,0x83,0xC4,8, 0xC3],
-            s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[1,2,3,4,5],8,CallingConvention.Cdecl));
+            s.BuildCallStub((IntPtr)(nint)a,(IntPtr)(nint)t,[1,2,3,4,5],8,CallConvention.Cdecl));
     }
 
-    // ── No-FASM assertion ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+    // ── Edge cases ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Far_target_throws()
+    {
+        Assert.Throws<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() =>
+            Create().BuildCallStub(IntPtr.Zero, (IntPtr)0xC0000000, [], 4, CallConvention.Cdecl));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Many_args_cleanup_uses_imm32_form()
+    {
+        var args = new uint[33];
+        for (int i = 0; i < 33; i++) args[i] = (uint)(i * 0x10000 + i);
+        byte[] stub = Create().BuildCallStub(
+            (IntPtr)0x10000000, (IntPtr)0x12345678, args, 4, CallConvention.Cdecl);
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < stub.Length - 5; i++)
+        {
+            if (stub[i] == 0x81 && stub[i + 1] == 0xC4)
+            {
+                Assert.Equal(132, BitConverter.ToInt32(stub, i + 2));
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        Assert.Fail("Expected 0x81 0xC4 (add esp, imm32) not found");
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Invalid_pointerSize_throws()
+    {
+        Assert.Throws<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() =>
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000, (IntPtr)0x12345678, [], 2, CallConvention.Cdecl));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Invalid_calling_convention_throws()
+    {
+        Assert.Throws<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() =>
+            Create().BuildCallStub((IntPtr)0x10000000, (IntPtr)0x12345678, [], 4, (CallConvention)99));
+    }
+
+    // ── No-FASM ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     [Fact]
     public void No_fasm_reference_in_output()
diff --git a/openspec/changes/whitemagic-foundation/specs/remote-execution/spec.md b/openspec/changes/whitemagic-foundation/specs/remote-execution/spec.md
index 90907e9..0d5d70e 100644
--- a/openspec/changes/whitemagic-foundation/specs/remote-execution/spec.md
+++ b/openspec/changes/whitemagic-foundation/specs/remote-execution/spec.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ WhiteMagic SHALL provide three execution strategies selected by payload safety:
 `RemoteThreadExecutor` SHALL create a remote thread at a target address using a calling-convention-aware stub, wait for completion, and return the typed exit value. Its documentation MUST state that it is safe only for thread-agnostic payloads.
 
 #### Scenario: execute with parameters and convention
-- **WHEN** `Execute<int>(addr, CallingConvention.Cdecl, arg1, arg2)` is called on a safe self-contained function
+- **WHEN** `Execute<int>(addr, CallConvention.Cdecl, arg1, arg2)` is called on a safe self-contained function
 - **THEN** the target MUST be called with the arguments laid out per cdecl and the typed return value returned
 
 #### Scenario: parameters marshalled and freed