fix: caller clock everywhere — value TTL, decay, qualitative decay, cache TTL

The principle: time is caller-provided (options.now / partialGraph.now);
the wall clock is only the fallback for unpinned callers, never a hidden
decision input. Remaining clock leaks:

- getBlurredValue gained an optional now param threaded to _isValueExpired;
  ChainRule (2 sites), MultiHopRule (2 sites), RelationManager (3 sites)
  now pass the caller clock. Previously a pinned-clock caller's chain/
  multi-hop value TTL used the WALL clock (wall in 2026, pinned T0 in
  2001 -> values wrongly expired).
- MultiHopRule's TTL gate used valueFilters.ttl || 24h instead of the
  valueManager's per-relation TTL (inconsistent with chain/comparator);
  now valueManager.getTTL is the authority, valueFilters.ttl the override.
- QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule decay (_calculatePeriodsElapsed)
  and value timestamps used the wall clock, so qualitative possibility
  decay ignored the pinned clock; now threaded through _evaluateOperand.
- ValueManager decay internals (getDecayedRelation, _calculateSeparated
  Decay, _calculateBlurredValue) accept a now param (background worker
  still passes none -> wall clock is correct there).
- PartialGraphContext._addChallengeProof/_addRelation used Date.now()
  instead of the context's own this.now (the partial graph's time).
- Arbiter gained an injectable clock (options.clock) driving unpinned
  cache-entry freshness in DecisionCache, RuleEvaluator, ChainRule, and
  RelationalComparatorRule; DecisionCache explicit clock still wins.
- Collected-value timestamps in DirectRule and RelationalComparatorRule
  honor the caller clock.

Pinned-clock chain probe: values fresh at T0, expired at T0+61s, with the
wall clock in 2026. Rigor 251/251, full suite 853/791/0.

src/authorization/DecisionCache.js

@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ export class DecisionCache {
    */
   constructor(arbiter, options = {}) {
     this.arbiter = arbiter;
-    this.clock = options.clock || (() => Date.now());
+    // Precedence: an explicit cache-level clock wins; else the arbiter's
+    // injected clock (options.clock on the Arbiter); else the wall clock.
+    this.clock = options.clock || ((arbiter && typeof arbiter.clock === 'function') ? arbiter.clock.bind(arbiter) : (() => Date.now()));
     this._enabled = !!arbiter;
   }
 

src/authorization/RuleEvaluator.js

@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ export class RuleEvaluator {
 
     if (canCacheRuleResult) {
       const cached = this.arbiter.ruleResultCache.get(ruleCacheKey);
-      if (cached && Date.now() - cached.timestamp < this.arbiter.ruleResultCacheTTL) {
+      const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
+      if (cached && cacheNow - cached.timestamp < this.arbiter.ruleResultCacheTTL) {
         this.arbiter.ruleResultCacheStats.hits++;
         if (collectValues && finalValueContext && cached.result?.collectedValues?.length) {
           const ruleType = rule?.type || (rule?.union ? 'union' : rule?.intersection ? 'intersection' : rule?.exclusion ? 'exclusion' : 'rule');
@@ -159,9 +160,10 @@ export class RuleEvaluator {
 
   _maybeCacheRuleResult(result, relation, cacheKey, enabled) {
     if (!enabled || !cacheKey || !relation) return result;
+    const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
     this.arbiter.ruleResultCache.set(cacheKey, {
       result,
-      timestamp: Date.now()
+      timestamp: cacheNow
     });
     this.arbiter._cacheRuleResult(relation, cacheKey);
     return result;

src/authorization/rules/ChainRule.js

@@ -433,7 +433,8 @@ export class ChainRule extends BaseRule {
     const key = this._getChainResultCacheKey(userId, objectId, steps);
     const entry = this.chainResultCache.get(key);
     
-    if (entry && Date.now() - entry.timestamp < this.cacheTTL) {
+    const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
+    if (entry && cacheNow - entry.timestamp < this.cacheTTL) {
       return entry.result;
     }
     
@@ -451,9 +452,10 @@ export class ChainRule extends BaseRule {
     const key = this._getChainResultCacheKey(userId, objectId, steps);
     
     // HyperbolicLRUCache handles eviction automatically based on frequency and recency
+    const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
     this.chainResultCache.set(key, {
       result,
-      timestamp: Date.now()
+      timestamp: cacheNow
     });
   }
 
@@ -514,7 +516,8 @@ export class ChainRule extends BaseRule {
         return collectedValues;
       }
       
-      const blurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(relation);
+      const callerNow = options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : null;
+      const blurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(relation, callerNow);
       
       if (blurred.interval) {
         const sourceEntity = direction === 'in' ? 
@@ -590,7 +593,8 @@ export class ChainRule extends BaseRule {
           Arbiter.DEBUG && Arbiter.log('ChainRule: relationManager or valueManager is undefined');
           return collectedValues;
         }
-        const blurred = this.arbiter.relationManager.valueManager.getBlurredValue(tempRelation);
+        const callerNow = options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : null;
+        const blurred = this.arbiter.relationManager.valueManager.getBlurredValue(tempRelation, callerNow);
         
         if (blurred.interval) {
           const collectedValue = this._createCollectedValue(

src/authorization/rules/DirectRule.js

@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ export class DirectRule extends BaseRule {
           step: 0
         },
         {
-          timestamp: directRel.changed_last_at || directRel.updated_last_at || Date.now(),
+          timestamp: directRel.changed_last_at || directRel.updated_last_at ||
+            (options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : Date.now()),
           reliability: 1.0,
           source: directRel.source || 'persistent'
         }

src/authorization/rules/MultiHopRule.js

@@ -370,21 +370,27 @@ export class MultiHopRule extends BaseRule {
         // Collect from direct edge if available
         if (step.edge && step.edge.value !== undefined && step.edge.value !== null) {
           if (this._passesValueFilters(step.edge.value, valueFilters)) {
-            // Check TTL
+            // Check TTL. The valueManager's per-relation TTL is the
-            const ttl = valueFilters.ttl || 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+            // authority (matching chain/comparator paths); valueFilters.ttl
-            const timestamp = step.edge.changed_last_at || step.edge.updated_last_at || Date.now();
+            // is an explicit override. Timestamps and the age computation
+            // use the caller-pinned clock, never the wall clock.
+            const ttl = valueFilters.ttl || (valueManager && valueManager.getTTL
+              ? valueManager.getTTL(step.edge.rel)
+              : 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
+            const timestamp = step.edge.changed_last_at || step.edge.updated_last_at ||
+              (evaluationNow !== undefined && evaluationNow !== null ? evaluationNow : Date.now());
             
             if (!OWAFusion.isWithinTTL(timestamp, ttl, evaluationNow)) {
               Arbiter.DEBUG && Arbiter.log('MultiHop skipping value due to TTL:', {
                 value: step.edge.value,
                 timestamp,
                 ttl,
-                age: Date.now() - timestamp
+                age: evaluationNow - timestamp
               });
               continue;
             }
             
-            const blurred = valueManager.getBlurredValue(step.edge);
+            const blurred = valueManager.getBlurredValue(step.edge, evaluationNow);
             
             if (blurred.interval) {
               const collectedValue = this._createCollectedValue(
@@ -447,7 +453,7 @@ export class MultiHopRule extends BaseRule {
                 changed_last_at: contextValue.timestamp
               };
               
-              const blurred = valueManager.getBlurredValue(tempRelation);
+              const blurred = valueManager.getBlurredValue(tempRelation, evaluationNow);
               
               if (blurred.interval) {
                 const collectedValue = this._createCollectedValue(

src/authorization/rules/QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule.js

@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ export class QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
       }
 
       // Extract blurred values with qualitative decay and blur
-      const blurredValues = this._extractBlurredValues(adjustedValues, operandConfig, scale);
+      const blurredValues = this._extractBlurredValues(adjustedValues, operandConfig, scale, options);
       
       if (operandMeta) {
         operandMeta.blurredValues = blurredValues;
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ export class QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
       values.push({
         value: qualitativeValue,
         possibility: qualitativeValue,
-        timestamp: Date.now(),
+        timestamp: options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : Date.now(),
         relation: 'rule_result',
         meta: { source: 'rule_possibility' }
       });
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ export class QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
    * Extract blurred values with qualitative decay and blur
    * @private
    */
-  _extractBlurredValues(values, operandConfig, scale) {
+  _extractBlurredValues(values, operandConfig, scale, options = null) {
     const {
       decaySteps = 1,
       decayPeriod = 'HOUR',
@@ -366,10 +366,11 @@ export class QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
     for (const valueObj of values) {
       const pointValue = valueObj.value;
       const initialPossibility = valueObj.possibility;
-      const timestamp = valueObj.timestamp || Date.now();
+      const timestamp = valueObj.timestamp ||
+        (options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : Date.now());
       
       // Calculate periods elapsed
-      const periodsElapsed = this._calculatePeriodsElapsed(timestamp, decayPeriod);
+      const periodsElapsed = this._calculatePeriodsElapsed(timestamp, decayPeriod, options);
       
       // Calculate decayed possibility
       const decayedPossibility = this._calculateDecayedPossibility(
@@ -415,8 +416,8 @@ export class QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
    * Calculate periods elapsed since timestamp
    * @private
    */
-  _calculatePeriodsElapsed(timestamp, decayPeriod) {
+  _calculatePeriodsElapsed(timestamp, decayPeriod, options = null) {
-    const now = Date.now();
+    const now = options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : Date.now();
     const elapsed = now - timestamp;
     
     const periodMs = {
@@ -533,7 +534,8 @@ export class QualitativeRelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
         step: index
       },
       metadata: {
-        timestamp: bv.timestamp || Date.now(),
+        timestamp: bv.timestamp ||
+          (options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : Date.now()),
         reliability: 1.0,
         originalValue: bv.originalValue,
         originalPossibility: bv.originalPossibility,

src/authorization/rules/RelationalComparatorRule.js

@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
       : null;
     if (canCacheDerived) {
       const cached = this.arbiter.ruleResultCache.get(derivedCacheKey);
-      if (cached && Date.now() - cached.timestamp < this.arbiter.ruleResultCacheTTL) {
+      const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
+      if (cached && cacheNow - cached.timestamp < this.arbiter.ruleResultCacheTTL) {
         const cachedResult = cached.result;
         let valueInterval = cachedResult.valueInterval;
         let operandPossibility = cachedResult.operandPossibility || 0;
@@ -316,7 +317,8 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
                 step: 0
               },
               {
-                timestamp: directRel.changed_last_at || directRel.updated_last_at || Date.now(),
+                timestamp: directRel.changed_last_at || directRel.updated_last_at ||
+              (evaluationNow !== undefined && evaluationNow !== null ? evaluationNow : Date.now()),
                 reliability: directRel.reliability || 1.0,
                 source: directRel.source || 'persistent'
               }
@@ -324,6 +326,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
           }
 
           if (canCacheDerived && derivedCacheKey) {
+            const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
             this.arbiter.ruleResultCache.set(derivedCacheKey, {
               result: {
                 valueInterval,
@@ -333,7 +336,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
                 source: operandSource,
                 collectedValues: operandCollectedValues
               },
-              timestamp: Date.now()
+              timestamp: cacheNow
             });
             this.arbiter._cacheRuleResult(currentRelation, derivedCacheKey);
             if (operandEvalMeta) operandEvalMeta.steps.push({ step: 'DerivedValueCached', derivedCacheKey });
@@ -397,7 +400,8 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
           value: rel.value,
           possibility: rel.possibility !== undefined ? rel.possibility : 1.0,
           reliability: rel.reliability || 1.0,
-          timestamp: rel.changed_last_at || rel.updated_last_at || Date.now(),
+          timestamp: rel.changed_last_at || rel.updated_last_at ||
+              (evaluationNow !== undefined && evaluationNow !== null ? evaluationNow : Date.now()),
           source: 'direct_relation',
           originalValue: rel.value
         });
@@ -414,7 +418,8 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
               step: 0
             },
             {
-              timestamp: rel.changed_last_at || rel.updated_last_at || Date.now(),
+              timestamp: rel.changed_last_at || rel.updated_last_at ||
+              (evaluationNow !== undefined && evaluationNow !== null ? evaluationNow : Date.now()),
               reliability: rel.reliability || 1.0,
               source: rel.source || 'persistent'
             }
@@ -450,6 +455,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
         }
 
         if (canCacheDerived && derivedCacheKey) {
+          const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
           this.arbiter.ruleResultCache.set(derivedCacheKey, {
             result: {
               valueInterval,
@@ -459,7 +465,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
               source: operandSource,
               collectedValues: operandCollectedValues
             },
-            timestamp: Date.now()
+            timestamp: cacheNow
           });
           this.arbiter._cacheRuleResult(currentRelation, derivedCacheKey);
           if (operandEvalMeta) operandEvalMeta.steps.push({ step: 'DerivedValueCached', derivedCacheKey });
@@ -566,6 +572,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
         }
 
         if (canCacheDerived && derivedCacheKey) {
+          const cacheNow = this.arbiter.clock ? this.arbiter.clock() : Date.now();
           this.arbiter.ruleResultCache.set(derivedCacheKey, {
             result: {
               valueInterval,
@@ -575,7 +582,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
               source: operandSource,
               collectedValues: operandCollectedValues
             },
-            timestamp: Date.now()
+            timestamp: cacheNow
           });
           this.arbiter._cacheRuleResult(currentRelation, derivedCacheKey);
           if (operandEvalMeta) operandEvalMeta.steps.push({ step: 'DerivedValueCached', derivedCacheKey });

src/core/Arbiter.js

@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ export class Arbiter {
     // audit state — the caller owns persistence and retention. The record
     // is built only when the hook exists, so the default path is untouched.
     this._auditHook = typeof options.audit === 'function' ? options.audit : null;
+
+    // The engine's clock. The caller may inject a clock (options.clock);
+    // the wall clock is the fallback for unpinned callers only. Per-check
+    // time is always the caller's `{ now }` / partialGraph.now — this
+    // clock only drives UNPINNED cache-entry freshness.
+    this.clock = typeof options.clock === 'function' ? options.clock : (() => Date.now());
     
     // Injectable cache factory (DI): defaults to the built-in SimpleLRUCache.
     // Pass options.cacheFactory to substitute another cache implementation.

src/core/PartialGraphContext.js

@@ -126,7 +126,9 @@ export class PartialGraphContext {
 
   _addChallengeProof(proof) {
     const subjectId = this._resolveNodeId(proof.subject);
-    const now = Date.now();
+    // The partial graph carries the caller's clock; fall back to the wall
+    // clock only when the caller provided no time at all.
+    const now = this.now !== null && this.now !== undefined ? this.now : Date.now();
     // 0 is a valid timestamp (epoch-issued / already-expired); `||` would
     // replace it with the wall clock or null, making an epoch-issued proof
     // the most recent one and an epoch-expired proof never expire.
@@ -150,7 +152,7 @@ export class PartialGraphContext {
     const srcId = this._resolveNodeId(rel.src);
     const dstId = this._resolveNodeId(rel.dst);
     const relation = rel.relation;
-    const now = Date.now();
+    const now = this.now !== null && this.now !== undefined ? this.now : Date.now();
     const relationObj = {
       src: srcId,
       rel: relation,

src/core/RelationManager.js

@@ -327,7 +327,8 @@ export class RelationManager {
     this._ensureIndicesBuilt();
     const rel = this.arbiter.indices.getDirectRelation(srcId, relation, dstId);
     if (rel && rel.value !== undefined) {
-      const blurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(rel);
+      const callerNow = options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : null;
+      const blurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(rel, callerNow);
       const result = {
         pointValue: rel.value, // Original crisp value
         value: rel.value, // Backward compatibility
@@ -543,7 +544,7 @@ export class RelationManager {
    * @param {number} epsilon - Optional epsilon for equality
    * @returns {number} Possibility (0-1) that comparison holds
    */
-  compareRelationValues(leftRelation, rightRelation, comparator, epsilon = null) {
+  compareRelationValues(leftRelation, rightRelation, comparator, epsilon = null, options = null) {
     // Get actual relation objects if needed
     const leftRel = leftRelation.value !== undefined ? leftRelation : 
       this.getDirectRelation(leftRelation.srcId, leftRelation.relation, leftRelation.dstId);
@@ -554,8 +555,9 @@ export class RelationManager {
       return 0; // Cannot compare if either has no value
     }
     
-    const leftBlurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(leftRel);
+    const callerNow = options && options.now !== undefined && options.now !== null ? options.now : null;
-    const rightBlurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(rightRel);
+    const leftBlurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(leftRel, callerNow);
+    const rightBlurred = this.arbiter.valueManager.getBlurredValue(rightRel, callerNow);
     
     if (!leftBlurred.interval || !rightBlurred.interval) {
       return 0; // Cannot compare null intervals

src/core/ValueManager.js

@@ -170,9 +170,11 @@ export class ValueManager {
   /**
    * Get or calculate the blurred value interval for a relation
    * @param {Object} relation - The relation object
+   * @param {number|null} [now] - Caller-pinned clock; the wall clock is
+   *        only the fallback for unpinned callers.
    * @returns {Object} { interval: {min, max}, possibility: number, reliability: number }
    */
-  getBlurredValue(relation) {
+  getBlurredValue(relation, now = null) {
     // If relation has no value, return null interval
     if (relation.value === undefined || relation.value === null) {
       return {
@@ -183,7 +185,7 @@ export class ValueManager {
     }
 
     // Check TTL first - if expired, return null interval
-    if (this._isValueExpired(relation)) {
+    if (this._isValueExpired(relation, now)) {
       return {
         interval: null,
         possibility: 0,
@@ -204,7 +206,7 @@ export class ValueManager {
    * @param {Object} relation - The relation object
    * @returns {Object} { pointValue, blurredInterval, currentPossibility, originalPossibility, reliability }
    */
-  getDecayedRelation(relation) {
+  getDecayedRelation(relation, now = null) {
     if (relation.value === undefined || relation.value === null) {
       return {
         pointValue: null,
@@ -232,18 +234,19 @@ export class ValueManager {
    * Calculate separated decay for value blurring and possibility
    * @private
    */
-  _calculateSeparatedDecay(relation) {
+  _calculateSeparatedDecay(relation, now = null) {
     const pointValue = relation.value;
     const initialPossibility = relation.possibility !== undefined ? relation.possibility : 1.0;
     const reliability = relation.reliability !== undefined ? relation.reliability : 1.0;
-    const timestamp = relation.changed_last_at || relation.updated_last_at || Date.now();
+    const timestamp = relation.changed_last_at || relation.updated_last_at ||
+      (now !== null && now !== undefined ? now : Date.now());
     
     // Get decay configuration
     const config = this._getRelationDecayConfig(relation);
     
     // Calculate age
-    const now = Date.now();
+    const evalNow = now !== null && now !== undefined ? now : Date.now();
-    const ageMs = Math.max(0, now - timestamp);
+    const ageMs = Math.max(0, evalNow - timestamp);
     const periodMs = PERIOD_TO_MS[config.decayPeriod.toUpperCase()] || PERIOD_TO_MS.HOUR;
     const ageInPeriod = ageMs / periodMs;
     
@@ -636,18 +639,19 @@ export class ValueManager {
    * Calculate the blurred value interval for a relation
    * @private
    */
-  _calculateBlurredValue(relation) {
+  _calculateBlurredValue(relation, now = null) {
     const pointValue = relation.value;
     const initialPossibility = relation.possibility !== undefined ? relation.possibility : 1.0;
     const reliability = relation.reliability !== undefined ? relation.reliability : 1.0;
-    const timestamp = relation.changed_last_at || relation.updated_last_at || Date.now();
+    const timestamp = relation.changed_last_at || relation.updated_last_at ||
+      (now !== null && now !== undefined ? now : Date.now());
     
     // Get decay configuration
     const config = this._getRelationDecayConfig(relation);
     
     // Calculate age
-    const now = Date.now();
+    const evalNow = now !== null && now !== undefined ? now : Date.now();
-    const ageMs = Math.max(0, now - timestamp); // Ensure non-negative
+    const ageMs = Math.max(0, evalNow - timestamp); // Ensure non-negative
     const periodMs = PERIOD_TO_MS[config.decayPeriod.toUpperCase()] || PERIOD_TO_MS.HOUR;
     const ageInPeriod = ageMs / periodMs;