diff --git a/bshell/runtime/cmdcall.c b/bshell/runtime/cmdcall.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96050e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bshell/runtime/cmdcall.c
@@ -0,0 +1,328 @@
+#include "cmdcall.h"
+
+#include "../command/alias.h"
+#include "../command/command.h"
+#include "../runtime/pipeline.h"
+#include "../status.h"
+#include "runtime.h"
+
+#include <fx/collections/array.h>
+#include <fx/reflection/assembly.h>
+#include <fx/reflection/function.h>
+#include <fx/reflection/type.h>
+#include <fx/string.h>
+#include <fx/term/print.h>
+#include <fx/vector.h>
+
+enum cmdcall_type {
+	CMDCALL_NONE = 0,
+	CMDCALL_CMDLET,
+	CMDCALL_NATIVE,
+};
+
+struct bshell_cmdcall_p {
+	enum cmdcall_type cmd_type;
+	bshell_command *cmd_target;
+	char *cmd_native_path;
+	bool cmd_initialised;
+	FX_VECTOR_DECLARE(fx_value, cmd_args);
+	fx_array *cmd_args_processed;
+};
+
+extern const fx_assembly *bshell_assembly_get(void);
+
+static void cmdcall_fini(fx_object *obj, void *priv)
+{
+	struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall = priv;
+
+	if (cmdcall->cmd_native_path) {
+		free(cmdcall->cmd_native_path);
+	}
+
+	if (cmdcall->cmd_args_processed) {
+		fx_array_unref(cmdcall->cmd_args_processed);
+	}
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < cmdcall->cmd_args.count; i++) {
+		fx_value_unset(&cmdcall->cmd_args.items[i]);
+	}
+
+	fx_vector_destroy(cmdcall->cmd_args, NULL);
+
+	if (cmdcall->cmd_target) {
+		bshell_command_end_processing(cmdcall->cmd_target);
+		bshell_command_unref(cmdcall->cmd_target);
+	}
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status cmdcall_push_arg(
+	struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall,
+	fx_value arg)
+{
+	fx_value *slot = fx_vector_emplace_back(cmdcall->cmd_args, NULL);
+	fx_value_copy(slot, &arg);
+
+	return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static const fx_value *get_arg(struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall, size_t index)
+{
+	if (index >= cmdcall->cmd_args.count) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	return &cmdcall->cmd_args.items[cmdcall->cmd_args.count - index - 1];
+}
+
+static bshell_command *find_call_target(const char *name)
+{
+#if 0
+#define VERB_MAX 32
+	const char *hyphen = strchr(name, '-');
+	if (!hyphen) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	const char *noun = hyphen + 1;
+
+	size_t verb_length = hyphen - name;
+	if (verb_length >= VERB_MAX) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	char verb[VERB_MAX] = {};
+	memcpy(verb, name, verb_length);
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < verb_length; i++) {
+		verb[i] = tolower(verb[i]);
+	}
+
+	bshell_verb *verb_info = bshell_verb_get_by_name(verb);
+	if (!verb_info) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	enum bshell_verb_id verb_id = bshell_verb_get_id(verb_info);
+	fx_string *target_name = fx_string_create();
+	fx_string *call_name = fx_string_create_from_cstr(name);
+	fx_string_transform_lowercase(call_name);
+
+	const fx_assembly *self = bshell_assembly_get();
+	fx_iterator *it = fx_assembly_get_types(self);
+	fx_foreach(v, it)
+	{
+		fx_type *ty = NULL;
+		fx_value_get_object(&v, &ty);
+		const char *ty_name = fx_type_get_name(ty);
+		bshell_command_class *cmd = fx_type_get_interface(
+			ty,
+			BSHELL_TYPE_COMMAND);
+		if (!cmd || !cmd->c_get_callable_name_static) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		cmd->c_get_callable_name(
+
+		if (fx_strcmp_nocase(cmdlet->c_noun, noun) != 0) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		return fx_object_create(fx_type_get_id(ty));
+	}
+	fx_iterator_unref(it);
+
+#undef VERB_MAX
+#endif
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static bshell_command *__resolve_call_target(
+	const char *callable_name,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt)
+{
+	return bshell_runtime_find_command(rt, callable_name);
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status resolve_call_target(
+	struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt)
+{
+	if (cmdcall->cmd_type != CMDCALL_NONE) {
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	fx_value *cmd_name_v = fx_array_get_ref(cmdcall->cmd_args_processed, 0);
+	if (!cmd_name_v) {
+		return BSHELL_ERR_BAD_STATE;
+	}
+
+	fx_string *cmd_name_s = NULL;
+	fx_value_get_object(cmd_name_v, &cmd_name_s);
+
+	while (1) {
+		const char *cmd_name_cstr = fx_string_get_cstr(cmd_name_s);
+		bshell_command *cmd = bshell_runtime_find_command(
+			rt,
+			cmd_name_cstr);
+		if (!cmd) {
+			break;
+		}
+
+		bshell_alias_class *alias = fx_object_get_interface(
+			cmd,
+			BSHELL_TYPE_ALIAS);
+		if (alias) {
+			fx_string_clear(cmd_name_s);
+			fx_string_append_cstr(cmd_name_s, alias->a_target_name);
+			bshell_command_unref(cmd);
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		cmdcall->cmd_target = cmd;
+		cmdcall->cmd_type = CMDCALL_CMDLET;
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	const char *cmd_name_cstr = fx_string_get_cstr(cmd_name_s);
+	fx_printf(
+		"[bold,bright_red]%s: The term '%s' is not recognised as a "
+		"name of a cmdlet, "
+		"function, script file, or executable program.[reset]\n",
+		cmd_name_cstr,
+		cmd_name_cstr);
+	return BSHELL_ERR_NO_ENTRY;
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status process_args(struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall)
+{
+	if (cmdcall->cmd_args_processed) {
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	fx_stringstream *str = fx_stringstream_create();
+	if (!str) {
+		return BSHELL_ERR_NO_MEMORY;
+	}
+
+	cmdcall->cmd_args_processed = fx_array_create();
+	if (!cmdcall->cmd_args_processed) {
+		fx_stringstream_unref(str);
+		return BSHELL_ERR_NO_MEMORY;
+	}
+
+	for (i32 i = cmdcall->cmd_args.count - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+		fx_stringstream_reset(str);
+		fx_value_to_string(&cmdcall->cmd_args.items[i], str, NULL);
+		fx_string *arg_str = fx_string_create_from_cstr(
+			fx_stringstream_ptr(str));
+		fx_array_push_back(
+			cmdcall->cmd_args_processed,
+			FX_VALUE_OBJECT(arg_str));
+		fx_string_unref(arg_str);
+	}
+
+	fx_stringstream_unref(str);
+	return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status cmdcall_resolve(
+	struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt)
+{
+	enum bshell_status status = process_args(cmdcall);
+	if (status != BSHELL_SUCCESS) {
+		return status;
+	}
+
+	status = resolve_call_target(cmdcall, rt);
+	if (status != BSHELL_SUCCESS) {
+		return status;
+	}
+
+	bshell_command_set_args_reverse(
+		cmdcall->cmd_target,
+		cmdcall->cmd_args.items,
+		cmdcall->cmd_args.count);
+
+	return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status cmdcall_execute(struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall)
+{
+	return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status cmdcall_process_record(
+	struct bshell_cmdcall_p *cmdcall,
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt)
+{
+	if (!cmdcall->cmd_target) {
+		return BSHELL_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED;
+	}
+
+	if (!cmdcall->cmd_initialised) {
+		bshell_command_begin_processing(cmdcall->cmd_target);
+		cmdcall->cmd_initialised = true;
+	}
+
+	return bshell_command_process_record(cmdcall->cmd_target, pipeline, rt);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_push_arg(
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall,
+	fx_value arg)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_CMDCALL,
+		cmdcall_push_arg,
+		cmdcall,
+		arg);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_resolve(
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_CMDCALL,
+		cmdcall_resolve,
+		cmdcall,
+		rt);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_execute(bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC_0(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_CMDCALL,
+		cmdcall_execute,
+		cmdcall);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_process_record(
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall,
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_CMDCALL,
+		cmdcall_process_record,
+		cmdcall,
+		pipeline,
+		rt);
+}
+
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_BEGIN(bshell_cmdcall)
+	FX_TYPE_VTABLE_INTERFACE_BEGIN(fx_object, FX_TYPE_OBJECT)
+		FX_INTERFACE_ENTRY(to_string) = NULL;
+	FX_TYPE_VTABLE_INTERFACE_END(fx_object, FX_TYPE_OBJECT)
+
+	FX_TYPE_CONSTRUCTOR("create", bshell_cmdcall_create, 0, FX_TYPE_VOID);
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_END(bshell_cmdcall)
+
+FX_TYPE_DEFINITION_BEGIN(bshell_cmdcall)
+	FX_TYPE_ID(0x08aeb275, 0xc09b, 0x4c3a, 0xa8df, 0xd9fba0bb4571);
+	FX_TYPE_NAME("bshell.cmdcall");
+	FX_TYPE_CLASS(bshell_cmdcall_class);
+	FX_TYPE_INSTANCE_PRIVATE(struct bshell_cmdcall_p);
+	FX_TYPE_INSTANCE_FINI(cmdcall_fini);
+FX_TYPE_DEFINITION_END(bshell_cmdcall)
diff --git a/bshell/runtime/cmdcall.h b/bshell/runtime/cmdcall.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3713a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bshell/runtime/cmdcall.h
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#ifndef RUNTIME_CMDCALL_H_
+#define RUNTIME_CMDCALL_H_
+
+#include <fx/macros.h>
+#include <fx/value.h>
+
+FX_DECLS_BEGIN;
+
+struct bshell_runtime;
+
+#define BSHELL_TYPE_CMDCALL (bshell_cmdcall_get_type())
+
+FX_DECLARE_TYPE(bshell_cmdcall);
+
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_DECLARATION_BEGIN(bshell_cmdcall)
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_DECLARATION_END(bshell_cmdcall)
+
+extern fx_type_id bshell_cmdcall_get_type(void);
+
+FX_TYPE_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCTOR(bshell_cmdcall, BSHELL_TYPE_CMDCALL);
+
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_push_arg(
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall,
+	fx_value arg);
+
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_resolve(
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt);
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_cmdcall_process_record(
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall,
+	FX_TYPE_FWDREF(bshell_pipeline) * pipeline,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt);
+
+FX_DECLS_END;
+
+#endif
diff --git a/bshell/runtime/pipeline.c b/bshell/runtime/pipeline.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..324bded
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bshell/runtime/pipeline.c
@@ -0,0 +1,277 @@
+#include "pipeline.h"
+
+#include "../status.h"
+#include "cmdcall.h"
+
+#include <fx/collections/array.h>
+#include <fx/reflection/function.h>
+#include <fx/string.h>
+#include <fx/vector.h>
+
+struct bshell_pipeline_p {
+	bshell_pipeline *p_self;
+	fx_array *p_in, *p_out;
+	FX_VECTOR_DECLARE(bshell_cmdcall *, p_cmds);
+};
+
+static void pipeline_init(fx_object *obj, void *priv)
+{
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline = priv;
+	pipeline->p_self = obj;
+	pipeline->p_in = fx_array_create();
+	pipeline->p_out = fx_array_create();
+}
+
+static void pipeline_fini(fx_object *obj, void *priv)
+{
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline = priv;
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < pipeline->p_cmds.count; i++) {
+		bshell_cmdcall_unref(pipeline->p_cmds.items[i]);
+	}
+
+	if (pipeline->p_in) {
+		fx_array_unref(pipeline->p_in);
+		pipeline->p_in = NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (pipeline->p_out) {
+		fx_array_unref(pipeline->p_out);
+		pipeline->p_out = NULL;
+	}
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status write_value(
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline,
+	fx_array *dest,
+	fx_value value,
+	bool enumerate)
+{
+	if (!enumerate) {
+		fx_array_push_back(dest, value);
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	fx_object *container = NULL;
+	fx_value_get_object(&value, &container);
+	if (!container) {
+		fx_array_push_back(dest, value);
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	fx_iterator *it = fx_iterator_begin(container);
+	fx_foreach(v, it)
+	{
+		fx_array_push_back(dest, fx_value_copy_return(v));
+	}
+	fx_iterator_unref(it);
+
+	return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status pipeline_add_input_value(
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline,
+	fx_value value,
+	bool enumerate)
+{
+	return write_value(pipeline, pipeline->p_in, value, enumerate);
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status pipeline_add_cmdcall(
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline,
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmdcall)
+{
+	bshell_cmdcall **slot = fx_vector_emplace_back(pipeline->p_cmds, NULL);
+	*slot = bshell_cmdcall_ref(cmdcall);
+	return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status pipeline_execute_single(
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline)
+{
+	return BSHELL_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED;
+}
+
+static fx_value pipeline_read_value(struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline)
+{
+	return fx_array_pop_front(pipeline->p_in);
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status pipeline_write_value(
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline,
+	fx_value value,
+	bool enumerate)
+{
+	return write_value(pipeline, pipeline->p_out, value, enumerate);
+}
+
+static enum bshell_status pipeline_pump_record(
+	struct bshell_pipeline_p *pipeline,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt,
+	fx_value *result,
+	int *out_end_of_data)
+{
+	enum bshell_status status = BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	if (fx_array_get_size(pipeline->p_out)) {
+		fx_value out = fx_array_pop_front(pipeline->p_out);
+		*result = out;
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	size_t i = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < pipeline->p_cmds.count;) {
+		status = bshell_cmdcall_process_record(
+			pipeline->p_cmds.items[i],
+			pipeline->p_self,
+			rt);
+
+		if (status != BSHELL_SUCCESS) {
+			break;
+		}
+
+		bool input_available = fx_array_get_size(pipeline->p_in) != 0;
+		bool output_available = fx_array_get_size(pipeline->p_out) != 0;
+
+		if (input_available) {
+			/* repeat this pipeline stage until all available input
+			 * records are consumed */
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (!output_available) {
+			/* no output produced, and no more input available */
+			break;
+		}
+
+		if (i < pipeline->p_cmds.count - 1) {
+			fx_array *tmp = pipeline->p_in;
+			pipeline->p_in = pipeline->p_out;
+			pipeline->p_out = tmp;
+		}
+		i++;
+	}
+
+	if (fx_array_get_size(pipeline->p_out)) {
+		fx_value out = fx_array_pop_front(pipeline->p_out);
+		*result = out;
+		return BSHELL_SUCCESS;
+	} else if (i == 0) {
+		*result = FX_VALUE_EMPTY;
+		*out_end_of_data = 1;
+	}
+
+#if 0
+	size_t i = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < pipeline->p_cmds.count; i++) {
+		status = bshell_command_process_record(
+			pipeline->p_cmds.items[i],
+			rt);
+
+		if (status != BSHELL_SUCCESS) {
+			break;
+		}
+
+		fx_array *tmp = pipeline->p_in;
+		pipeline->p_in = pipeline->p_out;
+		pipeline->p_out = tmp;
+
+		if (fx_array_size(pipeline->p_in)) {
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (in->v_type) {
+		fx_value_copy(result, in);
+	} else if (i == 0) {
+		*out_end_of_data = 1;
+	}
+
+	fx_value_unset(in);
+	fx_value_unset(out);
+#endif
+	return status;
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_add_input_value(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	fx_value value,
+	bool enumerate)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE,
+		pipeline_add_input_value,
+		pipeline,
+		value,
+		enumerate);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_add_cmdcall(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmd)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE,
+		pipeline_add_cmdcall,
+		pipeline,
+		cmd);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_execute_single(bshell_pipeline *pipeline)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC_0(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE,
+		pipeline_execute_single,
+		pipeline);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_pump_record(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt,
+	fx_value *out,
+	int *out_end_of_data)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE,
+		pipeline_pump_record,
+		pipeline,
+		rt,
+		out,
+		out_end_of_data);
+}
+
+fx_value bshell_pipeline_read_value(bshell_pipeline *pipeline)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC_0(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE,
+		pipeline_read_value,
+		pipeline);
+}
+
+enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_write_value(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	fx_value val,
+	bool enumerate)
+{
+	FX_CLASS_DISPATCH_STATIC(
+		BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE,
+		pipeline_write_value,
+		pipeline,
+		val,
+		enumerate);
+}
+
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_BEGIN(bshell_pipeline)
+	FX_TYPE_VTABLE_INTERFACE_BEGIN(fx_object, FX_TYPE_OBJECT)
+		FX_INTERFACE_ENTRY(to_string) = NULL;
+	FX_TYPE_VTABLE_INTERFACE_END(fx_object, FX_TYPE_OBJECT)
+
+	FX_TYPE_CONSTRUCTOR("create", bshell_pipeline_create, 0, FX_TYPE_VOID);
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_END(bshell_pipeline)
+
+FX_TYPE_DEFINITION_BEGIN(bshell_pipeline)
+	FX_TYPE_ID(0x64159f21, 0xb1dd, 0x4838, 0xba62, 0x69fa65cc01d3);
+	FX_TYPE_NAME("bshell.pipeline");
+	FX_TYPE_CLASS(bshell_pipeline_class);
+	FX_TYPE_INSTANCE_PRIVATE(struct bshell_pipeline_p);
+	FX_TYPE_INSTANCE_INIT(pipeline_init);
+	FX_TYPE_INSTANCE_FINI(pipeline_fini);
+FX_TYPE_DEFINITION_END(bshell_pipeline)
diff --git a/bshell/runtime/pipeline.h b/bshell/runtime/pipeline.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c41244
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bshell/runtime/pipeline.h
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#ifndef RUNTIME_PIPELINE_H_
+#define RUNTIME_PIPELINE_H_
+
+#include "../command/command.h"
+#include "../runtime/cmdcall.h"
+#include "../status.h"
+
+#include <fx/macros.h>
+#include <fx/value.h>
+
+FX_DECLS_BEGIN;
+
+struct bshell_runtime;
+
+#define BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE (bshell_pipeline_get_type())
+
+FX_DECLARE_TYPE(bshell_pipeline);
+
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_DECLARATION_BEGIN(bshell_pipeline)
+FX_TYPE_CLASS_DECLARATION_END(bshell_pipeline)
+
+extern fx_type_id bshell_pipeline_get_type(void);
+
+FX_TYPE_DEFAULT_CONSTRUCTOR(bshell_pipeline, BSHELL_TYPE_PIPELINE);
+
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_add_input_value(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	fx_value value,
+	bool enumerate);
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_add_cmdcall(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	bshell_cmdcall *cmd);
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_execute_single(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline);
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_pump_record(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	struct bshell_runtime *rt,
+	fx_value *out,
+	int *out_end_of_data);
+
+extern fx_value bshell_pipeline_read_value(bshell_pipeline *pipeline);
+extern enum bshell_status bshell_pipeline_write_value(
+	bshell_pipeline *pipeline,
+	fx_value val,
+	bool enumerate);
+
+FX_DECLS_END;
+
+#endif