diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5c62b09..187f2d6 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -2,15 +2,20 @@ build:
   cache:
     key: cache
     paths: [.cache]
-  image: quay.io/buildah/stable
+  image: yourlabs/buildah
   script:
-  - dnf install -y curl python38
-  - curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py
-  - python3 get-pip.py
   - pip3 install -U --user -e .[cli]
   - CACHE_DIR=$(pwd)/.cache python3 ./shlaxfile.py build
   stage: build
 
+#build-itself:
+#  cache:
+#    key: cache
+#    paths: [.cache]
+#  image: shlax:$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA
+#  script: python3 ./shlaxfile.py build
+#  stage: test
+
 test:
   image: yourlabs/python
   stage: build
diff --git a/shlax/actions/packages.py b/shlax/actions/packages.py
index 814da6a..7d0e9f2 100644
--- a/shlax/actions/packages.py
+++ b/shlax/actions/packages.py
@@ -37,11 +37,13 @@ class Packages:
             update='pacman -Sy',
             upgrade='pacman -Su --noconfirm',
             install='pacman -S --noconfirm',
+            lastupdate='stat -c %Y /var/lib/pacman/sync/core.db',
         ),
         dnf=dict(
             update='dnf makecache --assumeyes',
             upgrade='dnf upgrade --best --assumeyes --skip-broken',  # noqa
             install='dnf install --setopt=install_weak_deps=False --best --assumeyes',  # noqa
+            lastupdate='stat -c %Y /var/cache/dnf/* | head -n1',
         ),
         yum=dict(
             update='yum update',
@@ -52,54 +54,52 @@ class Packages:
 
     installed = []
 
-    def __init__(self, *packages, upgrade=True):
+    def __init__(self, *packages, upgrade=False):
         self.packages = []
         self.upgrade = upgrade
         for package in packages:
             line = dedent(package).strip().replace('\n', ' ')
             self.packages += line.split(' ')
 
-    @property
-    def cache_root(self):
+    async def cache_setup(self, target):
         if 'CACHE_DIR' in os.environ:
-            return os.path.join(os.getenv('CACHE_DIR'))
+            self.cache_root = os.path.join(os.getenv('CACHE_DIR'))
         else:
-            return os.path.join(os.getenv('HOME'), '.cache')
+            self.cache_root = os.path.join(await target.parent.getenv('HOME'), '.cache')
+
+        # run pkgmgr_setup functions ie. apk_setup
+        await getattr(self, self.mgr + '_setup')(target)
 
     async def update(self, target):
-        # run pkgmgr_setup functions ie. apk_setup
-        cachedir = await getattr(self, self.mgr + '_setup')(target)
-
+        # lastupdate = await target.exec(self.cmds['lastupdate'], raises=False)
+        # lastupdate = int(lastupdate.out) if lastupdate.rc == 0 else None
         lastupdate = None
-        if os.path.exists(cachedir + '/lastupdate'):
-            with open(cachedir + '/lastupdate', 'r') as f:
-                try:
-                    lastupdate = int(f.read().strip())
-                except:
-                    pass
-
-        if not os.path.exists(cachedir):
-            os.makedirs(cachedir)
-
         now = int(datetime.now().strftime('%s'))
-        # cache for a week
+        if not lastupdate or now - lastupdate > 604800:
+            await target.rexec(self.cmds['update'])
+
+        return
+
+        # disabling with the above return call until needed again
+        # might have to rewrite this to not have our own lockfile
+        # or find a better place on the filesystem
+        # also make sure the lockfile is actually needed when running on
+        # targets that don't have isguest=True
         if not lastupdate or now - lastupdate > 604800:
             # crude lockfile implementation, should work against *most*
             # race-conditions ...
             lockfile = cachedir + '/update.lock'
-            if not os.path.exists(lockfile):
-                with open(lockfile, 'w+') as f:
-                    f.write(str(os.getpid()))
+            if not await target.parent.exists(lockfile):
+                await target.parent.write(lockfile, str(os.getpid()))
 
                 try:
                     await target.rexec(self.cmds['update'])
                 finally:
-                    os.unlink(lockfile)
+                    await target.parent.rm(lockfile)
 
-                with open(cachedir + '/lastupdate', 'w+') as f:
-                    f.write(str(now))
+                await target.parent.write(cachedir + '/lastupdate', str(now))
             else:
-                while os.path.exists(lockfile):
+                while await target.parent.exists(lockfile):
                     print(f'{self.target} | Waiting for {lockfile} ...')
                     await asyncio.sleep(1)
 
@@ -116,7 +116,13 @@ class Packages:
             raise Exception('Packages does not yet support this distro')
 
         self.cmds = self.mgrs[self.mgr]
+
+        if target.isguest:
+            # we're going to mount
+            await self.cache_setup(target)
+
         await self.update(target)
+
         if self.upgrade:
             await target.rexec(self.cmds['upgrade'])
 
@@ -147,19 +153,24 @@ class Packages:
         return cachedir
 
     async def apt_setup(self, target):
-        codename = (await self.rexec(
-            f'source {self.mnt}/etc/os-release; echo $VERSION_CODENAME'
+        codename = (await target.rexec(
+            f'source /etc/os-release; echo $VERSION_CODENAME'
         )).out
         cachedir = os.path.join(self.cache_root, self.mgr, codename)
         await self.rexec('rm /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/docker-clean')
         cache_archives = os.path.join(cachedir, 'archives')
-        await self.mount(cache_archives, f'/var/cache/apt/archives')
+        await target.mount(cache_archives, f'/var/cache/apt/archives')
         cache_lists = os.path.join(cachedir, 'lists')
-        await self.mount(cache_lists, f'/var/lib/apt/lists')
+        await target.mount(cache_lists, f'/var/lib/apt/lists')
         return cachedir
 
     async def pacman_setup(self, target):
-        return self.cache_root + '/pacman'
+        cachedir = os.path.join(self.cache_root, self.mgr)
+        await target.mkdir(cachedir + '/cache', cachedir + '/sync')
+        await target.mount(cachedir + '/sync', '/var/lib/pacman/sync')
+        await target.mount(cachedir + '/cache', '/var/cache/pacman')
+        if await target.host.exists('/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist'):
+            await target.copy('/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist', '/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist')
 
     def __str__(self):
         return f'Packages({self.packages}, upgrade={self.upgrade})'
diff --git a/shlax/actions/pip.py b/shlax/actions/pip.py
index 7d8e8c7..949442b 100644
--- a/shlax/actions/pip.py
+++ b/shlax/actions/pip.py
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ class Pip(Action):
             raise Exception('Could not find pip nor python')
 
         # ensure pip module presence
-        result = await target.exec(python, '-m', 'pip', raises=False)
+        result = await target.exec(
+            python, '-m', 'pip',
+            raises=False, quiet=True
+        )
         if result.rc != 0:
             if not os.path.exists('get-pip.py'):
                 req = request.urlopen(
diff --git a/shlax/cli.py b/shlax/cli.py
index feae747..770e920 100644
--- a/shlax/cli.py
+++ b/shlax/cli.py
@@ -20,22 +20,51 @@ class Group(cli2.Group):
         self.cmdclass = Command
 
 
+class TargetArgument(cli2.Argument):
+    """DSN of the target to execute on, localhost by default, TBI"""
+
+    def __init__(self, cmd, param, doc=None, color=None, default=None):
+        from shlax.targets.base import Target
+        super().__init__(cmd, param, doc=self.__doc__, default=Target())
+        self.alias = ['target', 't']
+
+    def cast(self, value):
+        from shlax.targets.ssh import Ssh
+        if '@' in value:
+            user, host = value.split('@')
+            return Ssh(host=host, user=user)
+
+
 class Command(cli2.Command):
+    def setargs(self):
+        super().setargs()
+        self['target'] = TargetArgument(
+            self,
+            self.sig.parameters['target'],
+        )
+        if 'actions' in self:
+            del self['actions']
+
     def call(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.shlax_target = self['target'].value
         return self.shlax_target(self.target)
 
     def __call__(self, *argv):
-        from shlax.targets.base import Target
-        self.shlax_target = Target()
-        result = super().__call__(*argv)
+        super().__call__(*argv)
         self.shlax_target.output.results(self.shlax_target)
-        return result
 
 
-class ActionCommand(Command):
+class ActionCommand(cli2.Command):
+    def setargs(self):
+        super().setargs()
+        self['target'] = TargetArgument(
+            self,
+            inspect.Parameter('target', inspect.Parameter.KEYWORD_ONLY),
+        )
+
     def call(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.target = self.target(*args, **kwargs)
-        return super().call(*args, **kwargs)
+        return super().call(self['target'].value)
 
 
 class ConsoleScript(Group):
diff --git a/shlax/targets/base.py b/shlax/targets/base.py
index 04f5306..37a2856 100644
--- a/shlax/targets/base.py
+++ b/shlax/targets/base.py
@@ -11,12 +11,17 @@ from ..result import Result, Results
 
 
 class Target:
+    isguest = False
+
     def __init__(self, *actions, root=None):
         self.actions = actions
         self.results = []
         self.output = Output()
         self.parent = None
-        self.root = root or os.getcwd()
+        self.root = root or ''
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return 'localhost'
 
     @property
     def parent(self):
@@ -127,20 +132,48 @@ class Target:
 
     @root.setter
     def root(self, value):
-        self._root = Path(value or os.getcwd())
+        self._root = Path(value) if value else ''
+
+    @property
+    def host(self):
+        current = self
+        while current.isguest:
+            current = self.parent
+        return current
 
     def path(self, path):
+        if not self.root:
+            return path
         if str(path).startswith('/'):
             path = str(path)[1:]
-        return self.root / path
+        return str(self.root / path)
 
-    async def mkdir(self, path):
+    async def mkdir(self, *paths):
         if '_mkdir' not in self.__dict__:
             self._mkdir = []
-        path = str(path)
-        if path not in self._mkdir:
-            await self.exec('mkdir', '-p', path)
-            self._mkdir.append(path)
+
+        make = [str(path) for path in paths if str(path) not in self._mkdir]
+        if make:
+            await self.exec('mkdir', '-p', *make)
+            self._mkdir += make
 
     async def copy(self, *args):
         return await self.exec('cp', '-a', *args)
+
+    async def exists(self, path):
+        return (await self.exec('ls ' + self.path(path), raises=False)).rc == 0
+
+    async def read(self, path):
+        return (await self.exec('cat', self.path(path))).out
+
+    async def write(self, path, content):
+        return await self.exec('echo ' + content + ' > ' + self.path(path))
+
+    async def rm(self, path):
+        return await self.exec('rm', self.path(path))
+
+    async def getenv(self, key):
+        return (await self.exec('echo $' + key)).out
+
+    async def getcwd(self):
+        return (await self.exec('pwd')).out
diff --git a/shlax/targets/buildah.py b/shlax/targets/buildah.py
index 927fb26..0073d3c 100644
--- a/shlax/targets/buildah.py
+++ b/shlax/targets/buildah.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from ..proc import Proc
 
 class Buildah(Target):
     """Build container image with buildah"""
+    isguest = True
 
     def __init__(self,
                  *actions,
@@ -63,22 +64,17 @@ class Buildah(Target):
         if actions:
             actions = actions[len(keep):]
             if not actions:
-                return self.uptodate()
+                return self.output.success('Image up to date')
         else:
             self.actions = self.actions[len(keep):]
             if not self.actions:
-                return self.uptodate()
+                return self.output.success('Image up to date')
 
         self.ctr = (await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'from', self.base)).out
         self.root = Path((await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'mount', self.ctr)).out)
 
         return await super().__call__(*actions)
 
-    def uptodate(self):
-        self.clean = None
-        self.output.success('Image up to date')
-        return
-
     async def layers(self):
         ret = set()
         results = await self.parent.exec(
@@ -144,21 +140,19 @@ class Buildah(Target):
         return stop
 
     async def clean(self, target, result):
-        for src, dst in self.mounts.items():
-            await self.parent.exec('umount', self.root / str(dst)[1:])
-
-        if self.root is not None:
+        if self.ctr is not None:
+            for src, dst in self.mounts.items():
+                await self.parent.exec('umount', self.root / str(dst)[1:])
             await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'umount', self.ctr)
 
-        if self.ctr is not None:
-            if result.status == 'success':
-                await self.commit()
-
-            await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'rm', self.ctr)
-
-            if result.status == 'success' and os.getenv('BUILDAH_PUSH'):
+        if result.status == 'success':
+            await self.commit()
+            if os.getenv('BUILDAH_PUSH'):
                 await self.image.push(target)
 
+        if self.ctr is not None:
+            await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'rm', self.ctr)
+
     async def mount(self, src, dst):
         """Mount a host directory into the container."""
         target = self.root / str(dst)[1:]
@@ -174,22 +168,13 @@ class Buildah(Target):
         _args += [' '.join([str(a) for a in args])]
         return await self.parent.exec(*_args, **kwargs)
 
-    async def commit(self, image=None):
-        image = image or self.image
-        if not image:
-            return
+    async def commit(self):
+        for key, value in self.config.items():
+            await self.parent.exec(f'buildah config --{key} "{value}" {self.ctr}')
 
-        if not image:
-            # don't go through that if layer commit
-            for key, value in self.config.items():
-                await self.parent.exec(f'buildah config --{key} "{value}" {self.ctr}')
-
-        self.sha = (await self.parent.exec(
-            'buildah',
-            'commit',
-            '--format=' + image.format,
-            self.ctr,
-        )).out
+        await self.parent.exec(
+            f'buildah commit {self.ctr} {self.image.repository}:final'
+        )
 
         ENV_TAGS = (
             # gitlab
@@ -209,16 +194,15 @@ class Buildah(Target):
             if value:
                 self.image.tags.append(value)
 
-        if image.tags:
-            tags = [f'{image.repository}:{tag}' for tag in image.tags]
+        if self.image.tags:
+            tags = [f'{self.image.repository}:{tag}' for tag in self.image.tags]
         else:
-            tags = [image.repository]
+            tags = [self.image.repository]
 
-        for tag in tags:
-            await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'tag', self.sha, tag)
+        await self.parent.exec('buildah', 'tag', self.image.repository + ':final', *tags)
 
-    async def mkdir(self, path):
-        return await self.parent.mkdir(self.path(path))
+    async def mkdir(self, *paths):
+        return await self.parent.mkdir(*[self.path(path) for path in paths])
 
     async def copy(self, *args):
         return await self.parent.copy(*args[:-1], self.path(args[-1]))
diff --git a/shlax/targets/ssh.py b/shlax/targets/ssh.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0b9e57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shlax/targets/ssh.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from .base import Target
+
+
+class Ssh(Target):
+    def __init__(self, *actions, host, user=None):
+        self.host = host
+        self.user = user
+        super().__init__(*actions)
+
+    async def exec(self, *args, user=None, **kwargs):
+        _args = ['ssh', self.host]
+        if user == 'root':
+            _args += ['sudo']
+        _args += [' '.join([str(a) for a in args])]
+        return await self.parent.exec(*_args, **kwargs)