diff --git a/confluent/__init__.py b/confluent/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/confluent/messages.py b/confluent/messages.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cacda353
--- /dev/null
+++ b/confluent/messages.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#Copyright 2013 IBM All rights reserved
+
+# This module implements client/server messages emitted from plugins.
+# Things are defined here to 'encourage' developers to coordinate information
+# format.  This is also how different data formats are supported
+import json
+
+class ConfluentMessage(object):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Must be subclassed!")
+
+    def json(self):
+        # This will create the canonical json representation of this message
+        return json.dumps(self.kvpairs, separators=(',', ':'))
+
+    def strip_node(self, node):
+        self.kvpairs = self.kvpairs[node]
+
+    def html(self):
+        #this is used to facilitate the api explorer feature
+        pass
+
+
+class PowerState(ConfluentMessage):
+
+    def __init__(self, node, state):
+        self.kvpairs = {
+            node: {
+                'powerstate': state,
+            }
+        }
+
+