diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c50323c..a799d87 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
         "@aws-sdk/lib-storage": "^3.964.0",
         "@owlboard/backend-data-contracts": "^0.1.0",
         "mongodb": "^7.0.0",
+        "nats": "^2.29.3",
         "readline": "^1.3.0",
         "xxhashjs": "^0.2.2"
       },
@@ -2405,6 +2406,30 @@
         "node": ">=20.19.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/nats": {
+      "version": "2.29.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/nats/-/nats-2.29.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-tOQCRCwC74DgBTk4pWZ9V45sk4d7peoE2njVprMRCBXrhJ5q5cYM7i6W+Uvw2qUrcfOSnuisrX7bEx3b3Wx4QA==",
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "nkeys.js": "1.1.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 14.0.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/nkeys.js": {
+      "version": "1.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/nkeys.js/-/nkeys.js-1.1.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-tB/a0shZL5UZWSwsoeyqfTszONTt4k2YS0tuQioMOD180+MbombYVgzDUYHlx+gejYK6rgf08n/2Df99WY0Sxg==",
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "tweetnacl": "1.0.3"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/punycode": {
       "version": "2.3.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/punycode/-/punycode-2.3.1.tgz",
@@ -2542,6 +2567,12 @@
         "fsevents": "~2.3.3"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/tweetnacl": {
+      "version": "1.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tweetnacl/-/tweetnacl-1.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-6rt+RN7aOi1nGMyC4Xa5DdYiukl2UWCbcJft7YhxReBGQD7OAM8Pbxw6YMo4r2diNEA8FEmu32YOn9rhaiE5yw==",
+      "license": "Unlicense"
+    },
     "node_modules/typescript": {
       "version": "5.9.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript/-/typescript-5.9.3.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index dd3c5a9..50d56b4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "@aws-sdk/lib-storage": "^3.964.0",
     "@owlboard/backend-data-contracts": "^0.1.0",
     "mongodb": "^7.0.0",
+    "nats": "^2.29.3",
     "readline": "^1.3.0",
     "xxhashjs": "^0.2.2"
   },
diff --git a/src/nats.ts b/src/nats.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..baf4da5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nats.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { connect, JSONCodec } from "nats";
+import type { ConnectionOptions, NatsConnection, Payload } from "nats";
+import { log } from "./logger";
+
+const jc = JSONCodec();
+
+async function getNatsConnection(): Promise<NatsConnection> {
+    const serverUrl = process.env.MQ_URL || "nats://localhost:4222";
+
+    const options: ConnectionOptions = {
+        servers: serverUrl,
+        name: `${process.env.HOSTNAME}` || 'local',
+        reconnect: true,
+        maxReconnectAttempts: -1,
+    };
+
+    if (process.env.MQ_USER && process.env.MQ_PASS) {
+        options.user = process.env.MQ_USER;
+        options.pass = process.env.MQ_PASS;
+        log("INFO", "NATS: Using username/password authentication");
+    } else {
+        log("INFO", "NATS: Connecting without authentication");
+    }
+
+    return await connect(options)
+}
\ No newline at end of file