diff --git a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere.hs b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere.hs
index 9d5ba5a9f4..9cd0b539d0 100644
--- a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere.hs
+++ b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere.hs
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@ module Vere where
 
 import ClassyPrelude
 import Data.Void
+import Data.Noun
 import qualified Vere.Http.Server as Server
 import qualified Vere.Http.Client as Client
 
 -- +vere -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 data WTFIsThis
-  = WTFIsThis (Maybe Varience) TheActualFuckingThing
+  = WTFIsThis (Maybe Varience) Eff
 
 data Varience = Gold | Iron | Lead
 
-data TheActualFuckingThing
+data Eff
   = HttpServer Server.Eff
   | HttpClient Client.Eff
   | Behn Void
@@ -24,3 +25,10 @@ data TheActualFuckingThing
   | Init Void
   | Term Void
 
+
+type Perform = Eff -> IO ()
+
+data IODriver = IODriver
+  { bornEvent   :: IO Noun
+  , startDriver :: (Noun -> STM ()) -> IO (Async (), Perform)
+  }
diff --git a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Log.hs b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Log.hs
index 719d147e0b..71f0e8719c 100644
--- a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Log.hs
+++ b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Log.hs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import Data.Void
 import Database.LMDB.Raw
 import Foreign.Ptr
 import Foreign.Marshal.Alloc
+import Vere
 import Vere.Pier.Types
 
 import Control.Lens     ((^.))
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ import qualified Data.Vector.Mutable    as MV
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 -- TODO: Handle throws on the async
-init :: FilePath -> TQueue (Writ [Effect]) -> (Writ [Effect] -> STM ())
+init :: FilePath -> TQueue (Writ [Eff]) -> (Writ [Eff] -> STM ())
      -> IO LogState
 init dir inp cb = do
   env <- mdb_env_create
@@ -130,8 +131,8 @@ withWordPtr w cb = do
 -- TODO: We need to be able to send back an exception to the main thread on an
 -- exception on the persistence thread.
 persistThread :: MDB_env
-              -> TQueue (Writ [Effect])
-              -> (Writ [Effect] -> STM ())
+              -> TQueue (Writ [Eff])
+              -> (Writ [Eff] -> STM ())
               -> IO (Async ())
 persistThread env inputQueue onPersist = asyncBound $
   forever do
diff --git a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier.hs b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier.hs
index 185419f0fa..010a24984a 100644
--- a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier.hs
+++ b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier.hs
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
 module Vere.Pier where
 
 import ClassyPrelude
+
+import Data.Noun
+import Data.Noun.Pill
+import Vere
 import Vere.Pier.Types
+
 import qualified Vere.Log as Log
+import qualified Vere.Worker as Worker
 
+ioDrivers = [] :: [IODriver]
 
--- This is ugly and wrong
-newPier :: FilePath -> LogIdentity -> IO Pier
-newPier top id = do
+-- This is called to make a freshly booted pier. It assigns an identity to an
+-- event log and takes a chill pill.
+newPier :: Pill -> FilePath -> LogIdentity -> IO Pier
+newPier pill top id = do
   let logPath = top <> "/log"
 
   computeQueue <- newTQueueIO
@@ -19,22 +27,67 @@ newPier top id = do
   -- input/output queues.
   logState <- Log.init logPath persistQueue (writeTQueue releaseQueue)
 
+  -- In first boot, we need to write this!
   Log.writeLogIdentity logState id
 
-  pure (Pier{..})
+  let logLatestEventNumber = 0
+  let getEvents = Log.readEvents logState
+
+  workerState <- Worker.startWorkerProcess
+
+  Worker.bootWorker workerState id pill
+
+  performCommonPierStartup workerState computeQueue persistQueue releaseQueue logState
 
 
-restartPier :: FilePath -> IO Pier
-restartPier top = do
+-- This reads in a pier
+runPierFromDisk :: FilePath -> IO Pier
+runPierFromDisk top = do
   let logPath = top <> "/log"
 
   computeQueue <- newTQueueIO
   persistQueue <- newTQueueIO
   releaseQueue <- newTQueueIO
 
+  -- What we really want to do is write the log identity and then do normal
+  -- startup, but writeLogIdentity requires a full log state including
+  -- input/output queues.
   logState <- Log.init logPath persistQueue (writeTQueue releaseQueue)
 
-  -- When we create a worker, we should take arguments indicating the identity.
+  -- In first boot, we need to write this!
+  id <- Log.readLogIdentity logState
+  logLatestEventNumber <- Log.latestEventNumber logState
+
+  let getEvents = Log.readEvents logState
+
+  workerState <- Worker.startWorkerProcess
+  Worker.resumeWorker workerState id logLatestEventNumber getEvents
+
+  performCommonPierStartup workerState computeQueue persistQueue releaseQueue logState
+
+
+performCommonPierStartup :: Worker.Worker
+                         -> TQueue Noun
+                         -> TQueue (Writ [Eff])
+                         -> TQueue (Writ [Eff])
+                         -> LogState
+                         -> IO Pier
+performCommonPierStartup workerState computeQueue persistQueue releaseQueue logState = do
+  for ioDrivers $ \x -> do
+    bootMessage <- bornEvent x
+    atomically $ writeTQueue computeQueue bootMessage
+
+  driverThreads <- for ioDrivers $ \x -> do
+    startDriver x (writeTQueue computeQueue)
+
+  -- TODO: Don't do a bunch of extra work; we send all events to all drivers
+  portingThread <- async $ do
+    forever $ do
+      r <- atomically (readTQueue releaseQueue)
+      for_ driverThreads $ \(_, k) ->
+        for_ (payload r) $ \eff ->
+          k eff
+
+  Worker.workerThread workerState
 
   pure (Pier{..})
-
diff --git a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier/Types.hs b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier/Types.hs
index 46b34057b1..e03a8e197c 100644
--- a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier/Types.hs
+++ b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Pier/Types.hs
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import Data.Noun.Atom
 import Data.Noun.Poet
 import Database.LMDB.Raw
 import Urbit.Time
+import Vere
 
-data Effect
 newtype Ovum = Ovum Void
   deriving newtype (Eq, Ord, Show, ToNoun, FromNoun)
 
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ data Writ a = Writ
   }
 
 data Pier = Pier
-  { computeQueue :: TQueue (Writ Word)
-  , persistQueue :: TQueue (Writ [Effect])
-  , releaseQueue :: TQueue (Writ [Effect])
+  { computeQueue :: TQueue Noun
+  , persistQueue :: TQueue (Writ [Eff])
+  , releaseQueue :: TQueue (Writ [Eff])
   , logState :: LogState
+  , driverThreads :: [(Async (), Perform)]
+  , portingThread :: Async ()
   }
 
 -- TODO: We are uncertain about q's type. There's some serious entanglement
@@ -36,8 +38,8 @@ data Pier = Pier
 -- away with anything less than passing the full u3_writ around.
 data LogState = LogState
   { env        :: MDB_env
-  , inputQueue :: TQueue (Writ [Effect])
-  , onPersist  :: Writ [Effect] -> STM ()
+  , inputQueue :: TQueue (Writ [Eff])
+  , onPersist  :: Writ [Eff] -> STM ()
   , writer     :: Async ()
   }
 
diff --git a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Worker.hs b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Worker.hs
index 1f8e8251eb..3f9b3cc3f0 100644
--- a/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Worker.hs
+++ b/pkg/hs-urbit/lib/Vere/Worker.hs
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@ data Worker = Worker
   , recvHandle :: Handle
   , process    :: ProcessHandle
 
-  , identity   :: LogIdentity
-  -- TODO: This shouldn't be here.
-  , wLogState  :: LogState
-
   -- , getInput   :: STM (Writ ())
   -- , onComputed :: Writ [Effect] -> STM ()
 
@@ -43,11 +39,11 @@ data Worker = Worker
 
 -- Think about how to handle process exit
 -- Tear down subprocess on exit? (terminiteProcess)
-start :: LogIdentity -> LogState -> IO Worker
-start id s =
+startWorkerProcess :: IO Worker
+startWorkerProcess =
   do
     (Just i, Just o, _, p) <- createProcess pSpec
-    pure (Worker i o p id s)
+    pure (Worker i o p)
   where
     pSpec =
       (proc "urbit-worker" []) { std_in  = CreatePipe
@@ -124,7 +120,8 @@ data WorkerExn
     | BadPleaNoun Noun
     | ReplacedEventDuringReplay EventId ReplacementEv
     | WorkerConnectionClosed
-    | UnexpectedInitialPlea Plea
+    | UnexpectedPleaOnNewShip Plea
+    | InvalidInitialPlea Plea
   deriving (Show)
 
 instance Exception WorkerExn
@@ -167,18 +164,21 @@ sendAndRecv w eventId event =
       Stdr _ cord  -> print cord >> loop
       Slog _ pri t -> printTank pri t >> loop
 
-sendBootEvent :: Worker -> IO ()
-sendBootEvent w = do
-  sendAtom w $ jam $ toNoun (Cord "boot", (identity w))
+sendBootEvent :: LogIdentity -> Worker -> IO ()
+sendBootEvent id w = do
+  sendAtom w $ jam $ toNoun (Cord "boot", id)
 
 
 -- the ship is booted, but it is behind. shove events to the worker until it is
 -- caught up.
-replay :: Worker -> WorkerState -> EventId
+replay :: Worker
+       -> WorkerState
+       -> LogIdentity
+       -> EventId
        -> (EventId -> Word64 -> IO (Vector (EventId, Atom)))
        -> IO ()
-replay w (wid, wmug) lastCommitedId getEvents = do
-  when (wid == 1) (sendBootEvent w)
+replay w (wid, wmug) identity lastCommitedId getEvents = do
+  when (wid == 1) (sendBootEvent identity w)
 
   loop wid
   where
@@ -195,25 +195,44 @@ replay w (wid, wmug) lastCommitedId getEvents = do
 
         loop (curEvent + toRead)
 
-startPier :: Worker -> IO (EventId)
-startPier w =
+
+bootWorker :: Worker
+           -> LogIdentity
+           -> Pill
+           -> IO ()
+bootWorker w identity pill =
+  do
+    recvPlea w >>= \case
+      Play Nil   -> pure ()
+      x@(Play _) -> throwIO (UnexpectedPleaOnNewShip x)
+      x          -> throwIO (InvalidInitialPlea x)
+
+    -- TODO: actually boot the pill
+    undefined
+
+    requestSnapshot w
+
+    -- Maybe return the current event id ? But we'll have to figure that out
+    -- later.
+    pure ()
+
+resumeWorker :: Worker
+             -> LogIdentity
+             -> EventId
+             -> (EventId -> Word64 -> IO (Vector (EventId, Atom)))
+             -> IO ()
+resumeWorker w identity logLatestEventNumber eventFetcher =
   do
     ws@(eventId, mug) <- recvPlea w >>= \case
       Play Nil                -> pure (1, Mug 0)
       Play (NotNil (e, m, _)) -> pure (e, m)
-      x                       -> throwIO (UnexpectedInitialPlea x)
+      x                       -> throwIO (InvalidInitialPlea x)
 
-    logLatestEventNumber <- Log.latestEventNumber (wLogState w)
-
-    when (logLatestEventNumber == 0) $ do
-      -- todo: boot. we need a pill.
-      undefined
-
-    replay w ws logLatestEventNumber (Log.readEvents (wLogState w))
+    replay w ws identity logLatestEventNumber eventFetcher
 
     requestSnapshot w
 
-    pure (logLatestEventNumber)
+    pure ()
 
 workerThread :: Worker -> IO (Async ())
 workerThread w = undefined