diff --git a/bomb.go b/bomb.go
index 2de4859..26a4ba6 100644
--- a/bomb.go
+++ b/bomb.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -81,3 +82,17 @@ func (m *MakeBombState) Exit(c *Connection) {
 	c.bombs += 1
 	c.Printf("Done!  You now have %v bombs.\n", c.bombs)
 }
+
+func (m *MakeBombState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	elapsedFrames := c.game.frame - m.start
+	elapsedDur := framesToDur(elapsedFrames)
+
+	msg := fmt.Sprintf(`
+Currently making a bomb!
+
+Current System:       %s
+Build time elapsed:   %v
+Build time remaining: %v
+`, m.System, elapsedDur, options.makeBombTime-elapsedDur)
+	c.Printf(strings.TrimSpace(msg))
+}
diff --git a/colony.go b/colony.go
index 407d4f0..104b09b 100644
--- a/colony.go
+++ b/colony.go
@@ -48,3 +48,7 @@ func (m *MakeColonyState) Exit(c *Connection) {
 	m.System.colonizedBy = c
 	c.Printf("Established colony on %v.\n", m.System)
 }
+
+func (m *MakeColonyState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index 417e1df..b9607a6 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ func (c CommandSet) GetCommand(name string) *Command {
 		return &helpCommand
 	case "commands":
 		return &commandsCommand
+	case "status":
+		return &statusCommand
 	}
 	for _, cmd := range c {
 		if cmd.name == name {
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ func (c CommandSet) GetCommand(name string) *Command {
 }
 
 func (c CommandSet) Commands() []Command {
-	return append([]Command(c), helpCommand, commandsCommand)
+	return append([]Command(c), statusCommand, helpCommand, commandsCommand)
 }
 
 var helpCommand = Command{
@@ -100,6 +102,14 @@ are farther away take longer to communicate with.
 	},
 }
 
+var statusCommand = Command{
+	name: "status",
+	help: "display your current status",
+	handler: func(conn *Connection, args ...string) {
+		conn.ConnectionState.PrintStatus(conn)
+	},
+}
+
 // this isn't a real command it just puts command in the list of commands, this
 // is weird and circular, this is a special case.
 var commandsCommand = Command{
diff --git a/connection.go b/connection.go
index 2155dc1..49f665b 100644
--- a/connection.go
+++ b/connection.go
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ func (c *Connection) Die(frame int64) {
 type ConnectionState interface {
 	CommandSuite
 	String() string
+	PrintStatus(c *Connection)
 	Enter(c *Connection)
 	Tick(c *Connection, frame int64) ConnectionState
 	Exit(c *Connection)
diff --git a/dead.go b/dead.go
index 2e0fbe8..6c241c1 100644
--- a/dead.go
+++ b/dead.go
@@ -29,3 +29,7 @@ func (d *DeadState) Exit(c *Connection) {
 func (d *DeadState) String() string {
 	return "dead"
 }
+
+func (d *DeadState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
index cf5a90f..2cdecba 100644
--- a/errors.go
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -62,3 +62,7 @@ func (e *ErrorState) String() string {
 func (e *ErrorState) RunCommand(c *Connection, name string, args ...string) ConnectionState {
 	return e
 }
+
+func (e *ErrorState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
diff --git a/idle.go b/idle.go
index 40d3fc0..158ab6b 100644
--- a/idle.go
+++ b/idle.go
@@ -135,3 +135,7 @@ func (i *IdleState) maek(c *Connection, args ...string) {
 		c.Printf("I don't know how to make a %v.\n", args[0])
 	}
 }
+
+func (i *IdleState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
diff --git a/lobby.go b/lobby.go
index 43df51c..271bae9 100644
--- a/lobby.go
+++ b/lobby.go
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ func (st *LobbyState) Enter(c *Connection) {
 
 func (st *LobbyState) Tick(c *Connection, frame int64) ConnectionState { return st }
 
+func (st *LobbyState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
+
 var newGameCommand = Command{
 	name:     "new",
 	help:     "starts a new game",
diff --git a/mining.go b/mining.go
index be4c01b..c9b7bf1 100644
--- a/mining.go
+++ b/mining.go
@@ -70,3 +70,7 @@ func (m *MiningState) info(c *Connection, args ...string) {
 	c.Printf("Mined so far: %v\n", m.mined)
 	c.Printf("Remaining space duckets on %v: %v\n", m.System, m.money)
 }
+
+func (m *MiningState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
diff --git a/shield.go b/shield.go
index 460abff..e564d91 100644
--- a/shield.go
+++ b/shield.go
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ func (m *MakeShieldState) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("Making shield on %v", m.System)
 }
 
+func (m *MakeShieldState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
+
 type Shield struct {
 	energy float64
 }
diff --git a/travel.go b/travel.go
index 6ca5c27..4dfb6cc 100644
--- a/travel.go
+++ b/travel.go
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ func (t *TravelState) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("Traveling from %v to %v", t.start, t.dest)
 }
 
+func (t *TravelState) PrintStatus(c *Connection) {
+	panic("not done")
+}
+
 func (t *TravelState) progress(c *Connection, args ...string) {
 	c.Printf("%v\n", t.travelled/t.dist)
 }