feat(provider): mark_superseded verb — Worldtree #364 contradiction retirement + bifrost 1.1.4

Implement `mark_superseded(ids, *, superseded_by=None, reason=None)` — the SOLE
supersession verb Worldtree #364's promotion-hygiene reconciliation calls to retire
contradicted facts (wire shape confirmed by worldtree-dev, bifrost_memory_store.py:293).
Live re-verify (2026-07-16) proved our provider 500-crashed on this call (unimplemented)
→ #364's retirement couldn't land + a retry-storm bloated the store; the readout only
passed via transient recency-eviction.

- `mark_superseded` mirrors the reference `_mark_lifecycle`: sets top-level
  `superseded=True` (+ `superseded_by`/`superseded_reason` when non-None), increments
  revision, NON-destructive (get still returns; recoverable). Unknown ids skipped.
- `_is_live` (INV-011) now short-circuits on `superseded is True`, so a retired chunk is
  excluded from `scan` (person-prime) — durable retirement, not just recency-eviction.
  search is unfiltered (matches reference; WT re-checks liveness client-side).
- Contract: un-defer mark_superseded (+ FN spec, INV-011); TDD 5/5 (retires-from-scan
  tracer, non-destructive-get, unknown-id no-op, non-None-fields-only, parity #195).
- bifrost 1.1.1→1.1.4: hasattr-gate backstop for the maintenance verbs (unimplemented
  verb → unsupported_capability 400, never AttributeError/500/retry-storm — the gap we
  surfaced) + the 1.1.3 scan/cursor conformance harness. Full suite 644 green.

docs/contracts/bifrost_memory_provider.contract.md

@@ -163,6 +163,13 @@ interpreted.
     id-list + TTL + `ScanCursorExpired`); DEFERRED pending bifrost-dev's ruling on the conformance
     gap (scan/cursor has NO conformance coverage today, so a non-snapshot cursor passes). Routed
     to bifrost-dev 2026-07-15.
+- **INV-011** [hard]: **`mark_superseded` retires via a top-level `superseded` flag; `_is_live`
+  recognizes it.** `mark_superseded` sets top-level `superseded=True` (+ `superseded_by`) on the
+  record, mirroring the reference `_mark_lifecycle` (NOT a `verbatim.governance_state` change). So
+  `_is_live` MUST short-circuit on `record.get("superseded") is True` (in addition to its existing
+  `lifecycle_state` / `verbatim.governance_state` checks) — else a #364-retired chunk would still
+  scan live. Retirement is NON-destructive: `get`/`get_many` still return superseded chunks
+  (recoverable). `search` is NOT filtered (matches the reference; WT re-checks liveness client-side).
 
 ## Concurrency
 
@@ -199,7 +206,7 @@ negotiation, routes). **This contract** owns the store (the basic verbs + SQLite
 
 ## Out of scope (deferred — do NOT flag as drift)
 
-- **Gated/maintenance verbs:** `upsert_edges`/`get_edges_for`, `mark_invalid`/`mark_superseded`, `patch_many`, `atomic_supersede`, lease/checkpoint. Absent + advertised-unsupported. (`scan` is NO LONGER deferred — it is implemented + advertised via `sortable_chunk_fields` to light up Worldtree's #349 person-prime turn-1 durable-fact injection; see the `scan` FN spec + INV-009/INV-010.)
+- **Gated/maintenance verbs:** `upsert_edges`/`get_edges_for`, `mark_invalid`, `patch_many`, `atomic_supersede`, lease/checkpoint. Absent (no describe_store cap; hasattr-gated at dispatch as of bifrost 1.1.4 → `unsupported_capability` 400). (`scan` and `mark_superseded` are NO LONGER deferred — `scan` implements #349 person-prime; `mark_superseded` implements Worldtree #364's contradiction retirement, the SOLE supersession verb #364 uses. See their FN specs + INV-009/INV-011.)
 - **metadata_filter beyond scope:** advertise `filterable_metadata_fields=[]`; a non-empty `metadata_filter` is unsupported in v1 (rejected — see search PRE).
 - **The combined two-plane server** (guide §7) — separate memory + affect apps in v1.
 - **Deployment** — dev-box background shell (`ratatoskr-memory-provider`), no systemd/infra.
@@ -306,6 +313,24 @@ TESTS:
   delete_absent [boundary]: unknown id → {"deleted":0}
 ```
 
+```contract
+FN mark_superseded(self, ids: list[str], *, superseded_by: str | None = None, reason: str | None = None) -> dict
+BRIEF: Worldtree #364 retirement — mark chunks superseded so scan (live-only) excludes them. Mirrors the reference _mark_lifecycle: sets TOP-LEVEL fields on the record; NON-destructive (get still returns them, recoverable). The SOLE supersession verb #364 uses (dispatch: bifrost/memory.py mark_superseded branch; args {ids:[...], superseded_by, reason}).
+PRE: [PRE-001 hard] ids is a list of chunk ids (WT sends singletons, one call per retired chunk)
+POST: [POST-001 return_value] {"marked": N} where N = ids that existed (unknown ids skipped, never error) -- assert
+POST: [POST-002 state_change] each existing chunk gets top-level `superseded=True` + `superseded_by` (when not None) + `superseded_reason` (when not None); revision incremented; mirrors reference _mark_lifecycle (only non-None fields written) -- assert
+POST: [POST-003 return_value] a superseded chunk is EXCLUDED from `scan` (INV-009 via _is_live's top-level `superseded` check, INV-011) but STILL returned by `get`/`get_many` (non-destructive) -- assert
+STEPS:
+  1. [sequential, flexibility=indicative] FOR each id present: load record_json, set superseded=True (+ superseded_by / superseded_reason when not None), UPDATE record_json + revision+1; count
+  2. [cleanup] RETURN {"marked": count}
+TESTS:
+  mark_retires_from_scan [happy,tracer]: upsert 3 live; mark_superseded([id2], superseded_by="x"); scan → the 2 non-superseded only (id2 excluded); id2 record has superseded=True + superseded_by="x"
+  mark_get_still_returns [scenario]: a superseded chunk is STILL returned by get (non-destructive/recoverable)
+  mark_unknown_id_noop [boundary]: mark_superseded(["nope"]) → {"marked":0}
+  mark_no_superseded_by [boundary]: mark_superseded([id], superseded_by=None) → superseded=True set, no superseded_by key written (only non-None fields)
+  mark_parity_vs_reference [scenario]: identical mark_superseded envelope vs InMemoryMemoryStore → same top-level superseded/superseded_by field shape (#195)
+```
+
 ```contract
 FN scan(self, *, scope_all: dict | None = None, scope_any: list | None = None, cursor: str | None = None, limit: int, sort: dict | None = None, lifecycle_state=None) -> dict
 BRIEF: Query-LESS paginated LIVE-chunk scan, globally ordered by an advertised sort field (updated_at) — the #349 person-prime turn-1 durable-fact injection primitive (no query vector, unlike search). Returns {records, cursor}.

persistent-memory.d/2026-07-16-bifrost-cursor-conformance.md

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# [2026-07-16] bifrost scan/cursor conformance gap → snapshot-cursor ruled NORMATIVE
+
+## The gap (I surfaced it; operator's catch that it was bifrost's to fix)
+The heid-bug-hunt flagged our offset cursor's cross-page dup/drop under mutation. On
+verifying before routing, it turned out sharper than "robustness": bifrost's PROTOCOL
+already mandates snapshot cursors — the dispatch engine (`bifrost/memory.py:311-314`)
+drops `sort` on a cursor continuation with the comment *"the cursor's snapshotted order is
+authoritative"*, and maps `ScanCursorExpired → 410`. The reference `InMemoryMemoryStore`
+implements it (frozen ordered id-list per opaque token + TTL). But bifrost's **conformance
+suite had ZERO scan/cursor coverage** — so our non-snapshot offset cursor passed
+conformance while violating the protocol contract. That coverage hole is the real
+completeness concern. Routed to bifrost-dev (thread `01KXK7MDTY…`).
+
+## bifrost-dev's ruling
+1. **Snapshot-cursor is NORMATIVE, not opaque/per-store.** Operator ruled: cursor
+   snapshots a frozen ordered id-list, continuation ignores `sort`, stale/unknown cursor →
+   `ScanCursorExpired` → 410. **Offset-with-documented-limits is NOT blessed.**
+2. **Conformance coverage added** in **bifrost 1.1.3** (`bifrost.conformance.
+   memory_store_conformance`, 4 probes: `scan_snapshot_order_authoritative`,
+   `scan_no_dup_or_drop`, `scan_unknown_cursor_expired`, `scan_snapshot_stable_under_write`
+   opt-in). Our offset bug ships as their negative-canary fixture
+   (`fixtures.v0_7.offset_cursor_store.OffsetCursorMemoryStore`). `main()` grades import
+   failure as exit 2 (setup error) vs exit 1 (conformance FAIL).
+
+## Our status + the TODO (operator-sequenced, NOT urgent)
+Single-page person-prime (`cursor=None`) is already conformant — nothing shipped is broken;
+it's only multi-page continuation that's non-conformant. Our contract INV-010 currently
+marks the offset cursor **v1-provisional / KNOWN DEVIATION** (commit `8199774`).
+
+TODO when sequenced:
+1. Bump pin bifrost `1.1.1 → 1.1.4` (1.1.4 supersedes 1.1.3: adds the hasattr-gate backstop for the
+   maintenance verbs — mark_superseded/mark_invalid/patch_many/delete_many/upsert_edges/get_edges_for
+   degrade to `memory.unsupported_capability` 400 not AttributeError/500 — on top of 1.1.3's scan/cursor
+   conformance harness. One bump gets both).
+2. Replace the offset cursor with the reference snapshot semantics (frozen id-list per
+   opaque token + `ScanCursorExpired` → 410).
+3. Run `run_all(store_factory=..., include_optional=True)` against our SQLite store —
+   expect P1/P2/P3 RED → green (the before/after IS the validation). Report to bifrost-dev
+   (we're their canary — first non-reference scan implementer).
+4. Flip INV-010 from v1-provisional to snapshot semantics.
+
+TTL-duration expiry NOT asserted by the harness (no portable clock hook via store_factory);
+bifrost-dev offered a `clock_control` opt-in if we ever need time-based expiry certified —
+parked, not needed yet.

persistent-memory.d/2026-07-16-person-prime-scan-shipped.md

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# [2026-07-15/16] person-prime `scan` build — SHIPPED + DEPLOYED + LIVE-VERIFIED (v0.20.14)
+
+**The "last push": fix Sindra not remembering Vuong's name across sessions.**
+
+## Root cause (worldtree-dev)
+WT injects a recalled fact only if combined score (sim×salience) ≥ **0.45**
+(`auto_inject_combined_score_threshold`, `core/memory/context_promotion/config.py`),
+and recall is per-turn **query-gated** → moderate-sim durable facts (name hit ~0.40)
+never inject. Designed turn-0 fix = WT **#349 person-prime**: a query-LESS
+top-N-by-recency durable-fact injection, capability-gated on the store advertising
+`updated_at` in `sort_fields` at the Bifrost handshake — DARK for our provider until now.
+Fix (ZERO Worldtree change): implement the sorted `scan` verb + advertise the cap.
+
+## What shipped (6 commits, v0.20.11 → v0.20.14; suite 639 green throughout)
+- `8fc757a` **v0.20.11** — `scan` verb + `sortable_chunk_fields` cap. Query-LESS,
+  LIVE-only (INV-009: superseded/tombstoned excluded server-side), globally-ordered-
+  before-pagination by indexed `updated_at` (INV-010), sort dispatch-gated. Offset
+  cursor with a `has_more` peek (no empty trailing page = reference-parity). TDD 7/7
+  incl. `parity_vs_reference` #195. NUANCE resolved: bifrost's `InMemoryMemoryStore`
+  READS `updated_at` (never stamps it) — identical to ours; ref does NOT lifecycle-
+  filter so parity is over the live set only.
+- `a9c521a` **v0.20.12** — Sindra holodesk first-message preset (split out of the
+  soong-lab redefine as its own concern).
+- `25ccb5c` **v0.20.13** — heid-bug-hunt fix: a truthy non-dict `sort`
+  (`"updated_at"`/`["updated_at"]`/int) hit `(sort or {}).get(...)` → AttributeError
+  instead of InvalidArguments. Added isinstance guard (Gróa#1/Hulda#2 confirmed).
+- `8199774` — contract: marked the offset cursor **v1-provisional / KNOWN DEVIATION**
+  (see [[2026-07-16-bifrost-cursor-conformance]]).
+- `f46ccba` **v0.20.14** — **THE DEPLOY-BREAKER** (see Tried/abandoned): advertised
+  `sortable_chunk_fields=[{"name":"updated_at"}]` WITHOUT `type` → bifrost
+  `handshake_response` `SortableChunkField` requires BOTH name+type
+  (`additionalProperties:false`) → whole bind broke. Fixed → add `"type":"timestamp"`
+  + regression guard in the caps test.
+
+## heid-bug-hunt triage (panel Gróa/Hulda/Regin, thread `01KXK5XTYHV8TGEDRAZV8GRXWC`)
+FIXED: non-dict sort (v0.20.13). SURFACED→operator: offset-cursor cross-page dup/drop
+(→ became the bifrost cursor arc). NOTED (reference-parity/accept-known-risk, no fork):
+full-table materialize-then-Python-filter (matches ref's O(store) iteration), unbound
+limit, falsy scope coercion, lexical timestamp ordering. REFUTED: Regin's mixed-type
+ORDER BY "crash" (SQLite orders by storage class, doesn't raise) + its self-retracted
+None item.
+
+## Deploy + live verify (2026-07-15, operator-authorized)
+Restarted BOTH :8392 combined provider + :8765 web on the new code via the env-
+preserving `scratchpad/relaunch_by_pid.py <pid>` (captures /proc cmdline+environ+cwd →
+byte-identical config; self-daemonizes). Added the missing REQUIRED
+`RATATOSKR_MEMORY_EMBEDDING_DIM=1024` to `env.sh`.
+
+Drove a bound Sindra turn (`ratatoskr --new --agent ratatoskr:sindra --send … --bifrost-url
+http://10.100.10.50:8392 --end-user-id ratatoskr-tui`):
+- **GATE LIT + scan fired ONCE at turn 1** with worldtree-dev's exact args
+  (`scope_all={end_user:ratatoskr-tui} cursor=null limit=3 sort={updated_at,desc}`) →
+  3 records in **~5ms** (no 500ms fail-open). Injection confirmed in Sindra's CoT.
+- **Cross-session recognition WORKS** — she recalls Vuong as a distinct person + his
+  patterns. The blank-slate problem is SOLVED.
+- **BUT name-recall FAILS** — `"Name is Vuong."` is the OLDEST chunk (07:09) → excluded
+  from top-3-by-recency AND scores 0.354 (sub-0.45) on the query path → injects via
+  NEITHER; meanwhile a stale contradictory `"user has not yet provided their name"`
+  (07:58, 0.46) IS injected → she concludes she lacks the name. **Root cause = WORLDTREE
+  ranking/hygiene** (WT #364), not our wire. See [[2026-07-16-wt364-r39-name-recall]].
+
+## Status
+Technical path GREEN end-to-end (logged by worldtree-dev as the person-prime live
+milestone). Name-recall waits on WT #364 + R39-designed identity-class pinning. Keeping
+the live 10-chunk store as the #364 re-verify target.

persistent-memory.d/2026-07-16-wt364-r39-name-recall.md

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# [2026-07-16] Name-recall gap → WT #364 + brokkr R39 re-drive (DECISIVE) + subject-provenance catch
+
+Downstream of the person-prime live verify ([[2026-07-16-person-prime-scan-shipped]]),
+which proved the wire is green but the *name* still misses. Root cause is Worldtree-side.
+
+## WT #364 (worldtree-dev filed; our live specimen = the evidence base)
+The name-recall miss is TWO defect classes, both at promotion:
+1. **Contradiction-reconciliation missing.** Promotion wrote a NEGATIVE-knowledge fact
+   ("user has not yet provided their name") that was already false; promotion does NO
+   contradiction check against the store, so both the true and stale facts sit live and
+   the WRONG one wins both recall paths (newer → recency top-3; 0.46 → above the 0.45
+   query gate, where the true name sits at 0.354).
+2. **Subject-attribution leak (operator-caught, NEW class).** Fact `75aa3110` ("prefers
+   clear parameters Intensity/Mood/Willingness…") is NOT a user fact — Vuong never said
+   it; it's **Sindra's OWN system-prompt scripted behavior mis-extracted into the USER
+   memory partition**. `e35b9dfe` (closeness) maybe the same. So the extractor leaks
+   CHARACTER-self facts into user memory — a subject-correctness axis orthogonal to the
+   recency/threshold/stale-negative story. worldtree-dev folded it into #364 as a
+   **subject-attribution gate at promotion** (a third reconciliation dimension).
+
+**The #364 fix that ships = `(subject,relation)` slot-supersession + identity-tier
+surfacing** — NOT a threshold tweak. Our harness data directly shaped it. It lands with a
+re-verify request to us. **#349 ranking decision already RULED by operator (2026-07-15 via
+brokkr's R39 thread): no top-N recency band-aid; straight to R39 identity-class pinning.**
+
+## brokkr R39 Phase-1 Arm-0 fusion bake-off — DECISIVE
+brokkr replayed our frozen 7-fact specimen. **HEADLINE: no (similarity, salience) fusion
+can fix #364.** The stale negative PARETO-DOMINATES the true name — more similar
+(0.463 > 0.354) AND equal salience (1.0 = 1.0) — so any monotone f(sim,sal) puts stale
+above true: S0 product / S1 weighted-sum / S2 RRF all fail. Only **S3 bounded-boost** lands
+true-in ∧ stale-out, and ONLY via the identity-class/source signal + negative-validity
+retirement, NOT the sim/sal fusion. **Threshold-tuning is a dead end; the fix is the signal
+FAMILY** (hard confirmation of Phase-0). Write-up: brokkr
+`research/R39-memory-salience-dreams-surfacing/phase-1/re-drive-results.md`.
+
+My 3 findings all confirmed + folded: (1) salience blind — both name facts salience 1.0;
+(2) shared `(user,name)` supersession slot (Phase-0 Q3); (3) char-self-leak = "genuine NEW
+class" that RAISED the VoI of R39's dream/offline-hygiene facet (offline consolidation
+re-partitioning mis-attributed facts).
+
+## Data structure findings (for the export)
+Our provider persists ONLY `salience` (+ the embedding). `similarity`/`combined` are
+WT-side query-time (`bifrost_memory_store.py:702`, combined = sim×salience) — NOT in our
+store. **Person-prime is query-LESS → carries NO similarity** (brokkr's Arm-1 finding).
+Recovered per-fact similarity from the verify SEARCH log (query "Hi Sindra — do you
+remember me?"): name 0.354, stale 0.463; ×salience-1.0 = combined, matching brokkr's
+0.354/0.46 grounding. `salience_word` (granite categorical) is a WT-extraction-time
+artifact, not persisted.
+
+## The export + the specimen
+- Operator approved **VERBATIM** export ("nothing there is really a concern"). The
+  classifier had blocked writing PII to shared `/mnt/smithy`; routed to operator → he chose
+  full → delivered INLINE (scoped) in brokkr thread `01KXMN7NR54…` as 7-row JSONL.
+- **⚠️ My verify drive CONTAMINATED the specimen**: it wrote 3 new chunks (re-extractions
+  incl. a 3rd "name unknown" negative) → store is now **10, not 7**. Original 7 intact.
+- brokkr ACCEPTED the 3 verify-adds as the **Phase-2 Arm-2 seed** (domain-contradiction
+  set). I froze a WAL-consistent snapshot of the full 10-chunk store at
+  `r39-frozen-specimen/sindra-10chunk-specimen.db` (gitignored, `VACUUM INTO`) so it
+  SURVIVES #364 reconciliation. Export on brokkr's Phase-2 signal.
+- **R39 Arm-0 hold LIFTED** (worldtree-dev). Live store kept UNTOUCHED as the #364
+  re-verify target; frozen snapshot carries the research seed forward independently.
+
+## Peer threads
+worldtree-dev verify `01KXK86PZ9…` + hold `01KXMK1C44…`; brokkr R39 `01KXMN7NR54…`;
+bifrost cursor `01KXK7MDTY…` (see [[2026-07-16-bifrost-cursor-conformance]]).

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.20.14"
+version = "0.20.15"
 description = "Worldtree Conversation API debug TUI — multi-pane observability dashboard"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ web = [
 # from the debug TUI. Recipe: bifrost/docs/implementing-a-consumer.md.
 provider = [
     "ratatoskr[web]",       # reuse the starlette + uvicorn ASGI stack
-    "bifrost==1.1.1",       # consumer engines + library. 1.1.1 = frozen-wire serialization fix (ADR-0008): additive capability fields are gated on the NEGOTIATED wire, so a v0.6-negotiated describe_store handshake stays v0.6-clean. 1.1.0 leaked the v0.7-additive `sortable_chunk_fields` into v0.6 StoreCapabilities → a strict v0.6 client (additionalProperties:false) rejects our server's handshake. Wire schemas + pins UNCHANGED (serialization-correctness only); our v0.7 handshake with Worldtree b47 is unaffected. (1.1.0 = wire v0.7 additive: memory.scan sort + sortable_chunk_fields; 1.0.0 = first STABLE, wire v0.6 FROZEN; 0.8.0/v0.6 scope_all/scope_any #11; 0.7.0/v0.5 agent_self)
+    "bifrost==1.1.4",       # consumer engines + library. 1.1.4 = hasattr-gate backstop for the maintenance verbs (mark_superseded/mark_invalid/patch_many/delete_many/upsert_edges/get_edges_for → unimplemented verb degrades to unsupported_capability 400, never AttributeError/500/retry-storm; we surfaced it via WT #364) + 1.1.3 scan/cursor conformance harness + 1.1.2 frozen-v0.6 fix. 1.1.1 = frozen-wire serialization fix (ADR-0008): additive capability fields are gated on the NEGOTIATED wire, so a v0.6-negotiated describe_store handshake stays v0.6-clean. 1.1.0 leaked the v0.7-additive `sortable_chunk_fields` into v0.6 StoreCapabilities → a strict v0.6 client (additionalProperties:false) rejects our server's handshake. Wire schemas + pins UNCHANGED (serialization-correctness only); our v0.7 handshake with Worldtree b47 is unaffected. (1.1.0 = wire v0.7 additive: memory.scan sort + sortable_chunk_fields; 1.0.0 = first STABLE, wire v0.6 FROZEN; 0.8.0/v0.6 scope_all/scope_any #11; 0.7.0/v0.5 agent_self)
     "jsonschema>=4",        # bifrost runtime dep — envelope validation
     "sqlite-vec>=0.1.6",    # vector index for the memory plane (vec0 virtual table)
 ]

src/ratatoskr/provider/memory_store.py

@@ -143,6 +143,8 @@ def _is_live(record: dict) -> bool:
     """INV-009: a chunk is live unless a lifecycle/governance marker says otherwise.
     scan returns live-only server-side (person-prime's `lifecycle_state=live` does not
     ride the scan wire, so this is authoritative — a dead fact can never inject)."""
+    if record.get("superseded") is True:  # INV-011: mark_superseded top-level flag (#364 retirement)
+        return False
     state = record.get("lifecycle_state")
     if isinstance(state, str) and state and state != "live":
         return False
@@ -370,6 +372,36 @@ class RatatoskrMemoryStore:
                 self._conn.execute("DELETE FROM memory_vec WHERE chunk_id = ?", (chunk_id,))
         return {"deleted": deleted}
 
+    async def mark_superseded(
+        self, ids: list[str], *, superseded_by: str | None = None, reason: str | None = None
+    ) -> dict:
+        # Worldtree #364 retirement (INV-011). Mirrors the reference `_mark_lifecycle`:
+        # sets TOP-LEVEL `superseded`/`superseded_by`/`superseded_reason` (only non-None fields),
+        # increments revision. NON-destructive — get still returns; scan (live-only) excludes via
+        # `_is_live`'s `superseded` short-circuit. The sole supersession verb #364 uses.
+        _log.info("memory-call mark_superseded REQUEST: ids=%r superseded_by=%s", ids, superseded_by)
+        fields = {"superseded": True, "superseded_by": superseded_by, "superseded_reason": reason}
+        marked = 0
+        with self._conn:
+            for chunk_id in ids:
+                row = self._conn.execute(
+                    "SELECT record_json FROM memory_chunks WHERE chunk_id = ?", (chunk_id,)
+                ).fetchone()
+                if row is None:  # unknown id -> skip (never error), mirrors reference + delete_many
+                    continue
+                record = json.loads(row[0])
+                for key, value in fields.items():
+                    if value is not None:  # reference writes only non-None fields
+                        record[key] = value
+                self._conn.execute(
+                    "UPDATE memory_chunks SET record_json = ?, revision = revision + 1 "
+                    "WHERE chunk_id = ?",
+                    (json.dumps(record), chunk_id),
+                )
+                marked += 1
+        _log.info("memory-call mark_superseded RESPONSE: marked=%d", marked)
+        return {"marked": marked}
+
     async def scan(
         self,
         *,

tests/test_provider_memory.py

@@ -507,6 +507,60 @@ async def test_scan_parity_vs_reference_inmemory_store():
     assert out_ours["records"] == out_ref["records"]  # verbatim record shape parity
 
 
+# --- mark_superseded (#364 contradiction retirement) ---
+
+async def test_mark_superseded_retires_from_scan():
+    # tracer: mark a chunk superseded -> scan (live-only) excludes it; record carries the flags.
+    store = open_memory_store(":memory:", embedding_dim=EMBEDDING_DIM)
+    recs = [_chunk(f"c{i}", scope={"end_user": "u1"}, updated_at=f"2026-07-15T00:0{i}:00+00:00") for i in range(3)]
+    await store.upsert_many(recs, idempotency_key="k", ctx=_ctx())
+    assert await store.mark_superseded(["c1"], superseded_by="c9") == {"marked": 1}
+    out = await store.scan(scope_all={"end_user": "u1"}, limit=10, sort={"field": "updated_at", "direction": "desc"})
+    assert [r["id"] for r in out["records"]] == ["c2", "c0"]  # c1 excluded (superseded)
+    got = await store.get("c1")
+    assert got["superseded"] is True and got["superseded_by"] == "c9"
+
+
+async def test_mark_superseded_non_destructive_get_still_returns():
+    # INV-011: retirement is non-destructive — get still returns a superseded chunk (recoverable).
+    store = open_memory_store(":memory:", embedding_dim=EMBEDDING_DIM)
+    await store.upsert_many([_chunk("c1", scope={"end_user": "u1"})], idempotency_key="k", ctx=_ctx())
+    await store.mark_superseded(["c1"], superseded_by="x")
+    got = await store.get("c1")
+    assert got is not None and got["superseded"] is True
+
+
+async def test_mark_superseded_unknown_id_noop():
+    store = open_memory_store(":memory:", embedding_dim=EMBEDDING_DIM)
+    assert await store.mark_superseded(["nope"]) == {"marked": 0}
+
+
+async def test_mark_superseded_writes_only_non_none_fields():
+    # PRE/POST: superseded_by=None -> only the `superseded` flag written, no superseded_by key.
+    store = open_memory_store(":memory:", embedding_dim=EMBEDDING_DIM)
+    await store.upsert_many([_chunk("c1", scope={"end_user": "u1"})], idempotency_key="k", ctx=_ctx())
+    await store.mark_superseded(["c1"], superseded_by=None)
+    got = await store.get("c1")
+    assert got["superseded"] is True
+    assert "superseded_by" not in got
+
+
+async def test_mark_superseded_parity_vs_reference():
+    # #195: identical mark_superseded envelope vs InMemoryMemoryStore -> same top-level field shape.
+    from bifrost.consumer.testing import InMemoryMemoryStore
+
+    rec = _chunk("c1", scope={"end_user": "u1"})
+    ours = open_memory_store(":memory:", embedding_dim=EMBEDDING_DIM)
+    await ours.upsert_many([rec], idempotency_key="k", ctx=_ctx())
+    ref = InMemoryMemoryStore()
+    await ref.upsert_many([rec], idempotency_key="k", ctx=_ctx())
+    assert await ours.mark_superseded(["c1"], superseded_by="x", reason="r") == {"marked": 1}
+    assert await ref.mark_superseded(["c1"], superseded_by="x", reason="r") == {"marked": 1}
+    og, rg = await ours.get("c1"), await ref.get("c1")
+    for k in ("superseded", "superseded_by", "superseded_reason"):
+        assert og.get(k) == rg.get(k)
+
+
 # --- build_memory_provider_app ---
 
 def test_build_app_exposes_handshake_and_memory_routes():

uv.lock

@@ -190,14 +190,14 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bifrost"
-version = "1.1.1"
+version = "1.1.4"
 source = { registry = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/simple/" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "jsonschema" },
 ]
-sdist = { url = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/files/bifrost/1.1.1/bifrost-1.1.1.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:0934c5fdf14823766346e591f5a16ab57a137cf06df794152318b5ccef0fb8e8" }
+sdist = { url = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/files/bifrost/1.1.4/bifrost-1.1.4.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:498d156035a93bf37a6fc1e9c09b468aac61e869fd2a5353e2695dc823f57e9a" }
 wheels = [
-    { url = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/files/bifrost/1.1.1/bifrost-1.1.1-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:dab551f8ad26464168f17108cb19564da56ee8e4789264a401e7a14463ab1576" },
+    { url = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/files/bifrost/1.1.4/bifrost-1.1.4-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:d67278528f12729eef0c19d875d36a2f1da6fa97737396ba130d525fee8d0b14" },
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.20.14"
+version = "0.20.15"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "httpx" },
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ web = [
 
 [package.metadata]
 requires-dist = [
-    { name = "bifrost", marker = "extra == 'provider'", specifier = "==1.1.1", index = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/simple/" },
+    { name = "bifrost", marker = "extra == 'provider'", specifier = "==1.1.4", index = "https://gitea.phasefinal.com/api/packages/vh/pypi/simple/" },
     { name = "httpx", specifier = ">=0.27" },
     { name = "httpx-sse", specifier = ">=0.4" },
     { name = "jsonschema", marker = "extra == 'provider'", specifier = ">=4" },