diff --git a/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py b/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10473ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py
@@ -0,0 +1,380 @@
+"""Pulseline — cron-style scheduler that drives every psyc pipeline on a cadence.
+
+Each registered pipeline has an autonomy mode (manual / auto-propose /
+auto-execute) and a cadence in seconds. tick() iterates every pipeline and
+fires whichever ones are due (and enabled, and not manual, and the global kill
+switch is off). State persists to SQLite via psyc.db so cadences survive
+restarts. A background asyncio loop calls tick() at a fixed interval — the
+cockpit lifespan attaches it.
+
+NOTE: federation pipelines (peer-pull, vouch-refresh) are wired as placeholders
+that return a no-op string. Real federation lands in a later stage.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import asyncio
+import traceback
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from enum import Enum
+from typing import Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
+
+from psyc import db, log
+
+
+_log = log.get(__name__)
+
+
+class PulseMode(str, Enum):
+    MANUAL = "manual"
+    AUTO_PROPOSE = "auto-propose"
+    AUTO_EXECUTE = "auto-execute"
+
+
+class Pipeline(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    title: str
+    description: str
+    mode: PulseMode
+    cadence_seconds: int
+    enabled: bool = True
+    last_fired: Optional[datetime] = None
+    next_fire: Optional[datetime] = None
+    last_result: str = ""
+    last_outcome: str = ""  # "ok" | "err" | "skipped" | ""
+
+
+# ---------- pipeline runners --------------------------------------------------
+
+def _run_fetch() -> str:
+    """Fetch every enabled scout source; partial fetch is fine.
+
+    Skip-on-fail is critical: keyed feeds (threatfox, malware-bazaar, otx)
+    raise when their key isn't configured — we don't want one missing key to
+    block the public ones.
+    """
+    from psyc.lines import scout
+
+    plan: Tuple[Tuple[str, Optional[int]], ...] = (
+        ("urlhaus", 50),
+        ("cisa-kev", 100),
+        ("feodo", 50),
+        ("threatfox", 200),
+        ("malware-bazaar", 100),
+        ("otx", 100),
+    )
+    total = 0
+    feeds_ok = 0
+    feeds_err: List[str] = []
+    for source, limit in plan:
+        try:
+            cases = scout.fetch_and_signal(source, limit=limit)
+            for c in cases:
+                db.upsert_case(c)
+            total += len(cases)
+            feeds_ok += 1
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — partial fetch is the point
+            feeds_err.append(source)
+            _log.info("pulse.fetch.skip", source=source, error=str(exc)[:200])
+    tail = f" (skipped: {', '.join(feeds_err)})" if feeds_err else ""
+    return f"fetched {total} cases across {feeds_ok} feed(s){tail}"
+
+
+def _run_classify() -> str:
+    from psyc.lines import classify
+
+    cases = db.list_cases(limit=10_000)
+    n = 0
+    for c in cases:
+        classify.classify(c)
+        db.upsert_case(c)
+        n += 1
+    return f"classified {n} case(s)"
+
+
+def _run_prove() -> str:
+    from psyc.lines import proof
+
+    cases = db.list_cases(limit=10_000)
+    n = 0
+    for c in cases:
+        proof.prove(c)
+        db.upsert_case(c)
+        n += 1
+    return f"proved {n} case(s)"
+
+
+def _run_reindex() -> str:
+    from psyc.lines import lookup
+
+    cases = db.list_cases(limit=1_000_000)
+    written = lookup.reindex(cases)
+    return f"indexed {written} IOC(s) from {len(cases)} case(s)"
+
+
+def _run_respond_propose() -> str:
+    """Propose response actions for high-severity cases that don't yet have any.
+
+    Strictly proposal-only: nothing is dispatched. The respond.propose_for_case
+    helper is already idempotent per case (skips cases that already have
+    actions), so re-running this on a tick is safe.
+    """
+    from psyc.lines import respond
+
+    cases = db.list_cases(limit=10_000)
+    proposed = 0
+    touched = 0
+    for c in cases:
+        ids = respond.propose_for_case(c)
+        if ids:
+            proposed += len(ids)
+            touched += 1
+    return f"proposed {proposed} action(s) for {touched} case(s)"
+
+
+def _run_peer_pull() -> str:
+    return "federation not yet active"
+
+
+def _run_vouch_refresh() -> str:
+    return "federation not yet active"
+
+
+# ---------- registry ----------------------------------------------------------
+
+_REGISTRY: Dict[str, Callable[[], str]] = {
+    "fetch": _run_fetch,
+    "classify": _run_classify,
+    "prove": _run_prove,
+    "reindex": _run_reindex,
+    "respond": _run_respond_propose,
+    "peer-pull": _run_peer_pull,
+    "vouch-refresh": _run_vouch_refresh,
+}
+
+
+# Initial defaults — seeded once on first DB init. Tuples of
+# (name, title, description, mode, cadence_seconds, enabled).
+_DEFAULTS: Tuple[Tuple[str, str, str, PulseMode, int, bool], ...] = (
+    ("fetch",       "Scout · fetch feeds",       "Pull every configured threat feed and ingest new cases.",
+        PulseMode.AUTO_EXECUTE, 900, True),
+    ("classify",    "Classify · label cases",    "Assign incident type, severity, TLP, and internal class to every case.",
+        PulseMode.AUTO_EXECUTE, 300, True),
+    ("prove",       "Proof · score confidence",  "Compute confidence (reliability · credibility · freshness) for every case.",
+        PulseMode.AUTO_EXECUTE, 300, True),
+    ("reindex",     "Lookup · rebuild IOC index","Rebuild the IOC reverse-index over the case corpus.",
+        PulseMode.AUTO_EXECUTE, 3600, True),
+    ("respond",     "Respond · propose actions", "Propose human-gated response actions for newly high-severity cases.",
+        PulseMode.AUTO_PROPOSE, 600, True),
+    ("peer-pull",   "Federation · peer pull",    "(placeholder) Pull sealed cases from federated peers.",
+        PulseMode.MANUAL, 600, False),
+    ("vouch-refresh","Federation · vouch refresh","(placeholder) Refresh per-peer vouching ledgers.",
+        PulseMode.MANUAL, 3600, False),
+)
+
+
+# ---------- helpers -----------------------------------------------------------
+
+def _now() -> datetime:
+    return datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+
+
+def _parse_dt(value: Optional[str]) -> Optional[datetime]:
+    if not value:
+        return None
+    try:
+        return datetime.fromisoformat(value)
+    except ValueError:
+        return None
+
+
+def _row_to_pipeline(row: dict) -> Pipeline:
+    return Pipeline(
+        name=row["name"],
+        title=row["title"],
+        description=row["description"],
+        mode=PulseMode(row["mode"]),
+        cadence_seconds=int(row["cadence_seconds"]),
+        enabled=bool(row["enabled"]),
+        last_fired=_parse_dt(row.get("last_fired")),
+        next_fire=_parse_dt(row.get("next_fire")),
+        last_result=row.get("last_result") or "",
+        last_outcome=row.get("last_outcome") or "",
+    )
+
+
+def _pipeline_to_row(p: Pipeline) -> dict:
+    return dict(
+        name=p.name,
+        title=p.title,
+        description=p.description,
+        mode=p.mode.value,
+        cadence_seconds=int(p.cadence_seconds),
+        enabled=bool(p.enabled),
+        last_fired=p.last_fired.isoformat() if p.last_fired else None,
+        next_fire=p.next_fire.isoformat() if p.next_fire else None,
+        last_result=p.last_result or "",
+        last_outcome=p.last_outcome or "",
+    )
+
+
+def seed_defaults() -> None:
+    """Insert any default pipelines that aren't already in the DB. Idempotent."""
+    existing = {row["name"] for row in db.get_pulse_state()}
+    for name, title, desc, mode, cadence, enabled in _DEFAULTS:
+        if name in existing:
+            continue
+        p = Pipeline(
+            name=name, title=title, description=desc,
+            mode=mode, cadence_seconds=cadence, enabled=enabled,
+            next_fire=_now(),  # first tick after install fires immediately if due
+        )
+        db.upsert_pulse_pipeline(_pipeline_to_row(p))
+    _log.info("pulse.defaults.seeded", count=len(_DEFAULTS))
+
+
+def state() -> List[Pipeline]:
+    """Every pipeline, ordered by name. Seeds defaults on the first call."""
+    rows = db.get_pulse_state()
+    if not rows:
+        seed_defaults()
+        rows = db.get_pulse_state()
+    return [_row_to_pipeline(r) for r in rows]
+
+
+def _get_pipeline(name: str) -> Optional[Pipeline]:
+    for p in state():
+        if p.name == name:
+            return p
+    return None
+
+
+def set_mode(name: str, mode: PulseMode) -> None:
+    p = _get_pipeline(name)
+    if p is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"unknown pipeline: {name}")
+    p.mode = mode
+    db.upsert_pulse_pipeline(_pipeline_to_row(p))
+
+
+def set_cadence(name: str, seconds: int) -> None:
+    if seconds <= 0:
+        raise ValueError("cadence must be > 0 seconds")
+    p = _get_pipeline(name)
+    if p is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"unknown pipeline: {name}")
+    p.cadence_seconds = int(seconds)
+    db.upsert_pulse_pipeline(_pipeline_to_row(p))
+
+
+def set_enabled(name: str, enabled: bool) -> None:
+    p = _get_pipeline(name)
+    if p is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"unknown pipeline: {name}")
+    p.enabled = bool(enabled)
+    db.upsert_pulse_pipeline(_pipeline_to_row(p))
+
+
+def set_kill_switch(armed: bool) -> None:
+    db.kill_switch_set(armed)
+    _log.warning("pulse.killswitch.changed", armed=bool(armed))
+
+
+def kill_switch_state() -> bool:
+    return db.kill_switch_get()
+
+
+# ---------- the heartbeat -----------------------------------------------------
+
+def _fire(p: Pipeline) -> Tuple[str, str]:
+    """Run one pipeline. Returns (outcome, result_str). Persists the timestamps.
+
+    Outcome is "ok" if the runner returned, "err" if it raised.
+    """
+    runner = _REGISTRY.get(p.name)
+    if runner is None:
+        outcome = "err"
+        result = f"no runner registered for '{p.name}'"
+    else:
+        try:
+            result = runner() or ""
+            outcome = "ok"
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — log + record, don't crash the loop
+            outcome = "err"
+            result = f"{type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"
+            _log.warning("pulse.fire.error", name=p.name, error=result, trace=traceback.format_exc())
+
+    now = _now()
+    p.last_fired = now
+    p.next_fire = now + timedelta(seconds=max(1, p.cadence_seconds))
+    p.last_result = result[:500]
+    p.last_outcome = outcome
+    db.upsert_pulse_pipeline(_pipeline_to_row(p))
+    _log.info("pulse.fired", name=p.name, outcome=outcome, result=p.last_result)
+    return outcome, p.last_result
+
+
+def _should_fire(p: Pipeline, now: datetime) -> bool:
+    if not p.enabled:
+        return False
+    if p.mode == PulseMode.MANUAL:
+        return False
+    if p.next_fire is None:
+        return True
+    return now >= p.next_fire
+
+
+def tick() -> List[Tuple[str, str, str]]:
+    """Single scheduler heartbeat. Returns (name, outcome, result_str) per pipeline.
+
+    Outcome is "ok" / "err" / "skipped" — every registered pipeline appears in
+    the return value so callers can see what was skipped and why.
+    """
+    if kill_switch_state():
+        _log.info("pulse.tick.killed")
+        return [(p.name, "skipped", "kill switch armed") for p in state()]
+
+    now = _now()
+    out: List[Tuple[str, str, str]] = []
+    for p in state():
+        if not _should_fire(p, now):
+            out.append((p.name, "skipped", "not due"))
+            continue
+        outcome, result = _fire(p)
+        out.append((p.name, outcome, result))
+    return out
+
+
+def run_now(name: str) -> Tuple[str, str]:
+    """Manually fire one pipeline, bypassing cadence and mode. Honors kill switch.
+
+    Returns (outcome, result_str). Raises ValueError on unknown name.
+    """
+    if kill_switch_state():
+        return ("skipped", "kill switch armed")
+    p = _get_pipeline(name)
+    if p is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"unknown pipeline: {name}")
+    return _fire(p)
+
+
+# ---------- background loop ---------------------------------------------------
+
+async def start_background_loop(interval_seconds: int = 30) -> None:
+    """Long-running scheduler — calls tick() every interval. Launched from FastAPI lifespan.
+
+    Designed to run for the life of the process; cancellation is the normal stop signal.
+    """
+    _log.info("pulse.loop.starting", interval=interval_seconds)
+    while True:
+        try:
+            tick()
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — one bad tick must not kill the loop
+            _log.warning("pulse.loop.tick.error", error=str(exc), trace=traceback.format_exc())
+        try:
+            await asyncio.sleep(interval_seconds)
+        except asyncio.CancelledError:
+            _log.info("pulse.loop.cancelled")
+            raise