diff --git a/internal/master/agentclient.go b/internal/master/agentclient.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1834aa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/master/agentclient.go
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+// Package master implements the mcp-master orchestrator.
+package master
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+
+	mcpv1 "git.wntrmute.dev/mc/mcp/gen/mcp/v1"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
+)
+
+// AgentClient wraps a gRPC connection to a single mcp-agent.
+type AgentClient struct {
+	conn   *grpc.ClientConn
+	client mcpv1.McpAgentServiceClient
+	Node   string
+}
+
+// DialAgent connects to an agent at the given address using TLS 1.3.
+// The token is attached to every outgoing RPC via metadata.
+func DialAgent(address, caCertPath, token string) (*AgentClient, error) {
+	tlsConfig := &tls.Config{
+		MinVersion: tls.VersionTLS13,
+	}
+
+	if caCertPath != "" {
+		caCert, err := os.ReadFile(caCertPath) //nolint:gosec // trusted config path
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("read CA cert %q: %w", caCertPath, err)
+		}
+		pool := x509.NewCertPool()
+		if !pool.AppendCertsFromPEM(caCert) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid CA cert %q", caCertPath)
+		}
+		tlsConfig.RootCAs = pool
+	}
+
+	conn, err := grpc.NewClient(
+		address,
+		grpc.WithTransportCredentials(credentials.NewTLS(tlsConfig)),
+		grpc.WithUnaryInterceptor(agentTokenInterceptor(token)),
+		grpc.WithStreamInterceptor(agentStreamTokenInterceptor(token)),
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dial agent %q: %w", address, err)
+	}
+
+	return &AgentClient{
+		conn:   conn,
+		client: mcpv1.NewMcpAgentServiceClient(conn),
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// Close closes the underlying gRPC connection.
+func (c *AgentClient) Close() error {
+	if c == nil || c.conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return c.conn.Close()
+}
+
+// Deploy forwards a deploy request to the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) Deploy(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.DeployRequest) (*mcpv1.DeployResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.Deploy(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// UndeployService forwards an undeploy request to the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) UndeployService(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.UndeployServiceRequest) (*mcpv1.UndeployServiceResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.UndeployService(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// GetServiceStatus queries a service's status on the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) GetServiceStatus(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.GetServiceStatusRequest) (*mcpv1.GetServiceStatusResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.GetServiceStatus(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// ListServices lists all services on the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) ListServices(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.ListServicesRequest) (*mcpv1.ListServicesResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.ListServices(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// SetupEdgeRoute sets up an edge route on the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) SetupEdgeRoute(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.SetupEdgeRouteRequest) (*mcpv1.SetupEdgeRouteResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.SetupEdgeRoute(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// RemoveEdgeRoute removes an edge route from the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) RemoveEdgeRoute(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.RemoveEdgeRouteRequest) (*mcpv1.RemoveEdgeRouteResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.RemoveEdgeRoute(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// ListEdgeRoutes lists edge routes on the agent.
+func (c *AgentClient) ListEdgeRoutes(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.ListEdgeRoutesRequest) (*mcpv1.ListEdgeRoutesResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.ListEdgeRoutes(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// HealthCheck checks the agent's health.
+func (c *AgentClient) HealthCheck(ctx context.Context, req *mcpv1.HealthCheckRequest) (*mcpv1.HealthCheckResponse, error) {
+	return c.client.HealthCheck(ctx, req)
+}
+
+// agentTokenInterceptor attaches the bearer token to outgoing RPCs.
+func agentTokenInterceptor(token string) grpc.UnaryClientInterceptor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, method string, req, reply any, cc *grpc.ClientConn, invoker grpc.UnaryInvoker, opts ...grpc.CallOption) error {
+		ctx = metadata.AppendToOutgoingContext(ctx, "authorization", "Bearer "+token)
+		return invoker(ctx, method, req, reply, cc, opts...)
+	}
+}
+
+func agentStreamTokenInterceptor(token string) grpc.StreamClientInterceptor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, desc *grpc.StreamDesc, cc *grpc.ClientConn, method string, streamer grpc.Streamer, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (grpc.ClientStream, error) {
+		ctx = metadata.AppendToOutgoingContext(ctx, "authorization", "Bearer "+token)
+		return streamer(ctx, desc, cc, method, opts...)
+	}
+}
+
+// AgentPool manages connections to multiple agents, keyed by node name.
+type AgentPool struct {
+	mu      sync.RWMutex
+	clients map[string]*AgentClient
+	caCert  string
+	token   string
+}
+
+// NewAgentPool creates a pool with the given CA cert and service token.
+func NewAgentPool(caCertPath, token string) *AgentPool {
+	return &AgentPool{
+		clients: make(map[string]*AgentClient),
+		caCert:  caCertPath,
+		token:   token,
+	}
+}
+
+// AddNode dials an agent and adds it to the pool.
+func (p *AgentPool) AddNode(name, address string) error {
+	client, err := DialAgent(address, p.caCert, p.token)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("add node %s: %w", name, err)
+	}
+	client.Node = name
+
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+
+	// Close existing connection if re-adding.
+	if old, ok := p.clients[name]; ok {
+		_ = old.Close()
+	}
+	p.clients[name] = client
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Get returns the agent client for a node.
+func (p *AgentPool) Get(name string) (*AgentClient, error) {
+	p.mu.RLock()
+	defer p.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	client, ok := p.clients[name]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("node %q not found in pool", name)
+	}
+	return client, nil
+}
+
+// Close closes all agent connections.
+func (p *AgentPool) Close() {
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+
+	for _, c := range p.clients {
+		_ = c.Close()
+	}
+	p.clients = make(map[string]*AgentClient)
+}
+
+// LoadServiceToken reads a token from a file path.
+func LoadServiceToken(path string) (string, error) {
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path) //nolint:gosec // trusted config path
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("read service token %q: %w", path, err)
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(data)), nil
+}