diff --git a/piker/_ems.py b/piker/_ems.py
index f3650f49..8a7a612b 100644
--- a/piker/_ems.py
+++ b/piker/_ems.py
@@ -18,10 +18,17 @@
 In suit parlance: "Execution management systems"
 
 """
+from typing import AsyncIterator
+
 import trio
 from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 import tractor
 
+from . import data
+from .log import get_logger
+
+
+log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 _to_router: trio.abc.SendChannel = None
 _from_ui: trio.abc.ReceiveChannel = None
@@ -44,7 +51,64 @@ async def stream_orders():
         yield order
 
 
-async def stream_and_route(ui_name):
+async def exec_orders(
+    ctx: tractor.Context,
+    broker: str,
+    symbol: str,
+    exec_price: float,
+) -> AsyncIterator[dict]:
+
+    async with data.open_feed(
+        broker,
+        [symbol],
+        loglevel='info',
+    ) as feed:
+
+        # TODO: get initial price
+
+        quote = await feed.receive()
+
+        # we automatically figure out what the alert check condition
+        # should be based on the current first price received from the
+        # feed, instead of being like every other shitty tina platform
+        # that makes the user choose the predicate operator.
+        last = quote[symbol]['close']
+
+        if exec_price > last:
+
+            def check(price: float) -> bool:
+                if price >= exec_price:
+                    return True
+                else:
+                    return False
+
+        elif exec_price < last:
+
+            def check(price: float) -> bool:
+                if price <= exec_price:
+                    return True
+                else:
+                    return False
+
+        async for quotes in feed.stream:
+
+            for sym, quote in quotes.items():
+
+                for tick in quote.get('ticks', ()):
+                    price = tick.get('price')
+
+                    # push trigger msg back to parent as an "alert"
+                    # (mocking for eg. a "fill")
+                    if price and check(price):
+                        await ctx.send_yield({
+                            'type': 'alert',
+                        })
+                        return
+    # feed teardown
+
+
+@tractor.stream
+async def stream_and_route(ctx, ui_name):
     """Order router (sub)actor entrypoint.
 
     """
@@ -53,19 +117,38 @@ async def stream_and_route(ui_name):
     # new router entry point
     async with tractor.wait_for_actor(ui_name) as portal:
 
-        async for order in await portal.run(stream_orders):
-            print(f'order {order} received in {actor.uid}')
+        async with trio.open_nursery() as n:
 
-            # push order back to parent as an "alert"
-            # (mocking for eg. a "fill")
-            yield order
+            async for order in await portal.run(stream_orders):
+
+                tp = order['type']
+                price = order['price']
+                sym = order['symbol']
+                brokers = order['brokers']
+
+                if tp == 'alert':
+                    log.info(f'Alert {order} received in {actor.uid}')
+
+                    n.start_soon(
+                        exec_orders,
+                        ctx,
+                        # TODO: eventually support N-brokers
+                        brokers[0],
+                        sym,
+                        price,
+                    )
+
+                # begin wait on next order
 
 
 async def spawn_router_stream_alerts(
     ident: str,
     task_status: TaskStatus[str] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
 ) -> None:
+    """Spawn an EMS daemon and begin sending orders and receiving
+    alerts.
 
+    """
     # setup local ui event streaming channels
     global _from_ui, _to_router
     _to_router, _from_ui = trio.open_memory_channel(100)
@@ -88,4 +171,17 @@ async def spawn_router_stream_alerts(
             task_status.started(_to_router)
 
         async for alert in stream:
-            print(f'alert {alert} received in {actor.uid}')
+
+            # TODO: this in another task?
+            # not sure if this will ever be a bottleneck,
+            # we probably could do graphics stuff first tho?
+            result = await trio.run_process(
+                [
+                    'notify-send',
+                    'piker',
+                    f'Alert: {alert}',
+                    '-u', 'normal',
+                    '-t', '10000',
+                ],
+            )
+            log.runtime(result)