diff --git a/Plugin/unraid/include/node_chat.php b/Plugin/unraid/include/node_chat.php
index 817b480..7bedb64 100644
--- a/Plugin/unraid/include/node_chat.php
+++ b/Plugin/unraid/include/node_chat.php
@@ -257,6 +257,13 @@ function vv_nc_pane_markup(string $prefix, bool $meshDefault = false): void {
              title="Follow the newest message. Unticks when you scroll up, re-ticks at the bottom.">
         <input type="checkbox" id="vv-nc-follow" checked onchange="vvNcPref('follow')"> <span>Auto Scroll</span>
       </label>
+      <!-- Reader's choice, not the sender's. Someone else's purple italic large is their idea of
+           emphasis, and on a wall-mounted dashboard it is just noise — this turns every message
+           back into plain text here without changing what they sent or what anyone else sees. -->
+      <label class="vv-ai-cb" style="font-size:10px;"
+             title="Render colours, fonts and bold as sent. Unticked shows every message as plain text.">
+        <input type="checkbox" id="vv-nc-fmt-on" checked onchange="vvNcPref('fmtOn');vvNcRender()"> <span>Formatting</span>
+      </label>
       <span id="vv-nc-status" style="margin-left:auto;font-size:9px;color:#3a3a3a;"></span>
     </div>
 
@@ -347,7 +354,8 @@ function _vvNcLoadPrefs() {
     if (el && p[k] != null) el.value = p[k];
   }
   for (const k of ['names', 'follow']) {
-    const el = document.getElementById('vv-nc-' + k);
+    const id = k === 'fmtOn' ? 'vv-nc-fmt-on' : 'vv-nc-' + k;
+    const el = document.getElementById(id);
     if (el && p[k] != null) el.checked = !!p[k];
   }
   _vvNc.fmt = Object.assign(_vvNc.fmt, p.fmt || {});
@@ -356,7 +364,8 @@ function _vvNcLoadPrefs() {
 function vvNcPref() {
   const p = { fmt: _vvNc.fmt };
   for (const k of ['color', 'font', 'size']) p[k] = document.getElementById('vv-nc-' + k)?.value ?? '';
-  for (const k of ['names', 'follow']) p[k] = !!document.getElementById('vv-nc-' + k)?.checked;
+  for (const k of ['names', 'follow', 'fmtOn'])
+    p[k] = !!document.getElementById(k === 'fmtOn' ? 'vv-nc-fmt-on' : 'vv-nc-' + k)?.checked;
   try { localStorage.setItem(_VV_NC_PREF, JSON.stringify(p)); } catch (_) {}
   _vvNcPaintFmt();
 }
@@ -390,6 +399,12 @@ function vvNcToggleFmt() {
 // Style string for a message. Closed set on both ends — the server validates the same values,
 // so nothing here can emit a property the store did not agree to.
 function _vvNcStyle(m, mine) {
+  // Reader wins over sender. Someone else's purple italic large is their idea of emphasis, and
+  // on a wall-mounted dashboard it is noise — this renders every message plain here without
+  // changing what they sent or what anyone else sees. The only thing kept is the you/them colour
+  // distinction, which is orientation rather than decoration.
+  if (!document.getElementById('vv-nc-fmt-on')?.checked)
+    return `color:${mine ? '#7a9a7a' : '#9aa'};font-size:12px;`;
   const st = m.style || {};
   const sizes = { sm: '11px', lg: '14px' };
   let s = `color:${st.color || (mine ? '#7a9a7a' : '#9aa')};`;
@@ -544,22 +559,48 @@ function vvNcMode(force) {
   const t = document.getElementById(p + '-title');
   if (t) t.textContent = _vvNcMeshOn ? 'Mesh Chat' : (t.dataset.ai || t.textContent);
   try { localStorage.setItem('vvNcMode:' + p, _vvNcMeshOn ? '1' : '0'); } catch (_) {}
-  if (_vvNcMeshOn) vvNcLoad();
+  // Opening the mesh resets the backoff, so switching to it never waits on a 90-second timer.
+  if (_vvNcMeshOn) { _vvNcStep = 0; vvNcLoad(); }
+  if (typeof _vvNcSchedule === 'function') _vvNcSchedule();
 }
 
 function vvNcInit(prefix, meshDefault) {
   _vvNcPrefix = prefix;
   const t = document.getElementById(prefix + '-title');
   if (t && !t.dataset.ai) t.dataset.ai = t.textContent.trim();
+  // meshDefault means "this page IS the mesh page" — Partnership opens on it every time rather
+  // than on whatever was last toggled. Everywhere else the choice is remembered, because there
+  // the mesh is a thing you switch to and being returned to it is the surprise.
   let want = !!meshDefault;
-  try {
-    const s = localStorage.getItem('vvNcMode:' + prefix);
-    if (s !== null) want = s === '1';
-  } catch (_) {}
+  if (!meshDefault) {
+    try {
+      const s = localStorage.getItem('vvNcMode:' + prefix);
+      if (s !== null) want = s === '1';
+    } catch (_) {}
+  }
   _vvNcLoadPrefs();
   vvNcMode(want);
   vvNcChans();
-  setInterval(vvNcChans, 15000);
+  _vvNcSchedule();
+}
+
+// Poll fast while the mesh is on screen, and back off while it is not.
+//
+// Eight pages each asking every 15 seconds is eight times the traffic for one store, and while
+// the card is showing the assistant the only thing the poll feeds is the unread badge — which
+// nobody is watching to the second. Backs off 30 → 60 → 90 and stays there; snaps back to 15 the
+// moment the mesh pane is opened, so switching to it is never waiting on a slow timer.
+let _vvNcTimer = null, _vvNcStep = 0;
+const _VV_NC_BACKOFF = [30000, 60000, 90000];
+
+function _vvNcSchedule() {
+  if (_vvNcTimer) clearTimeout(_vvNcTimer);
+  const wait = _vvNcMeshOn ? 15000 : _VV_NC_BACKOFF[Math.min(_vvNcStep, _VV_NC_BACKOFF.length - 1)];
+  _vvNcTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+    vvNcChans();
+    if (!_vvNcMeshOn) _vvNcStep++;
+    _vvNcSchedule();
+  }, wait);
 }
 
 vvNcInit(<?= json_encode($prefix) ?>, <?= $meshDefault ? 'true' : 'false' ?>);