diff --git a/ui/colony/src/App.tsx b/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
index b93dd99..44767c9 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ export default function App() {
   const [activeChannelId, setActiveChannelId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [messages, setMessages] = useState<Message[]>([]);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [replyTo, setReplyTo] = useState<{ id: string; username: string; content: string } | null>(null);
+  const [selectedMessages, setSelectedMessages] = useState<{ id: string; username: string; content: string }[]>([]);
   const [sheetOpen, setSheetOpen] = useState(false);
   const [showScrollDown, setShowScrollDown] = useState(false);
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export default function App() {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setMessages([]);
-    setReplyTo(null);
+    setSelectedMessages([]);
     prevMsgCountRef.current = 0;
     loadMessages();
   }, [activeChannelId, loadMessages]);
@@ -212,11 +212,15 @@ export default function App() {
                 message={msg}
                 replyTarget={msg.reply_to ? messagesById.get(msg.reply_to) : undefined}
                 currentUsername={getCurrentUsername()}
-                onReply={(id) => {
-                  const target = messagesById.get(id);
-                  if (target) {
-                    setReplyTo({ id, username: target.user.display_name, content: target.content });
-                  }
+                selected={selectedMessages.some((s) => s.id === msg.id)}
+                onSelect={(id) => {
+                  setSelectedMessages((prev) => {
+                    const exists = prev.find((s) => s.id === id);
+                    if (exists) return prev.filter((s) => s.id !== id);
+                    const target = messagesById.get(id);
+                    if (!target) return prev;
+                    return [...prev, { id, username: target.user.display_name, content: target.content }];
+                  });
                 }}
                 onDelete={async (chId, msgId) => {
                   try {
@@ -248,9 +252,11 @@ export default function App() {
           <ComposeBox
             key={activeChannelId}
             channelId={activeChannelId}
-            replyTo={replyTo}
-            onClearReply={() => setReplyTo(null)}
+            replyTo={selectedMessages.length > 0 ? selectedMessages[0] : null}
+            selectedMessages={selectedMessages}
+            onClearReply={() => setSelectedMessages([])}
             onMessageSent={() => {
+              setSelectedMessages([]);
               loadMessages();
               setTimeout(() => scrollToBottom(), 100);
             }}
diff --git a/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx b/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx
index f7155d4..acbf9ed 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState, useRef, useEffect, useCallback } from "react";
 import type { MessageType } from "@/types/MessageType";
 import type { User } from "@/types/User";
-import { postMessage, getUsers, getCurrentUsername } from "@/api";
+import { postMessage, getUsers, getCurrentUsername, createChannel } from "@/api";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 interface ReplyContext {
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ interface ReplyContext {
 interface Props {
   channelId: string;
   replyTo: ReplyContext | null;
+  selectedMessages: ReplyContext[];
   onClearReply: () => void;
   onMessageSent: () => void;
 }
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ const TYPE_META: Record<MessageType, { prefix: string; color: string; key: strin
 export function ComposeBox({
   channelId,
   replyTo,
+  selectedMessages,
   onClearReply,
   onMessageSent,
 }: Props) {
@@ -95,11 +97,32 @@ export function ComposeBox({
   }
 
   async function handleSend() {
-    if (!content.trim() || sending) return;
+    const text = content.trim();
+    if (!text || sending) return;
+
+    // Slash commands
+    if (text.startsWith("/")) {
+      const parts = text.split(/\s+/);
+      const cmd = parts[0].toLowerCase();
+      const arg = parts.slice(1).join(" ").trim();
+
+      if (cmd === "/new" && arg) {
+        setSending(true);
+        try {
+          await createChannel({ name: arg, description: "" });
+          setContent("");
+          onMessageSent(); // Triggers channel refresh
+        } finally {
+          setSending(false);
+        }
+        return;
+      }
+    }
+
     setSending(true);
     try {
       await postMessage(channelId, {
-        content: content.trim(),
+        content: text,
         type: msgType,
         reply_to: replyTo?.id ?? undefined,
       });
@@ -124,22 +147,28 @@ export function ComposeBox({
       "transition-colors px-4 py-4 md:px-6 md:py-5 pb-[env(safe-area-inset-bottom,16px)]",
       focused ? "bg-card" : "bg-background",
     )}>
-      {/* Reply chip */}
-      {replyTo && (
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mb-3 px-3 py-2 border-l-4 border-primary bg-muted/30 text-xs font-mono">
-          <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
-            <span className="text-primary font-bold">{replyTo.username}</span>
-            <span className="text-muted-foreground ml-2 truncate inline-block max-w-48 md:max-w-96 align-bottom">
-              {replyTo.content}
+      {/* Selected messages for reply */}
+      {selectedMessages.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="mb-3 border-l-4 border-primary bg-muted/30">
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between px-3 pt-2 pb-1">
+            <span className="text-[10px] font-mono text-primary font-bold uppercase tracking-wider">
+              replying to {selectedMessages.length} {selectedMessages.length === 1 ? "message" : "messages"}
             </span>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={onClearReply}
+              className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary text-sm font-bold"
+            >
+              ×
+            </button>
           </div>
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            onClick={onClearReply}
-            className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary flex-shrink-0 text-sm font-bold min-w-[32px] min-h-[32px] flex items-center justify-center"
-          >
-            x
-          </button>
+          {selectedMessages.map((msg) => (
+            <div key={msg.id} className="px-3 py-1 text-xs font-mono flex gap-2 text-muted-foreground">
+              <span className="text-foreground font-bold flex-shrink-0">{msg.username}</span>
+              <span className="truncate">{msg.content}</span>
+            </div>
+          ))}
+          <div className="h-1" />
         </div>
       )}
 
diff --git a/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx b/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx
index 9c20b81..83d4dc9 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipProvider, TooltipTrigger } from "@/comp
 interface Props {
   message: Message;
   replyTarget?: Message;
-  onReply: (id: string) => void;
+  onSelect: (id: string) => void;
   onDelete: (channelId: string, msgId: string) => void;
   currentUsername: string;
+  selected: boolean;
 }
 
 const TYPE_CONFIG: Record<string, { border: string; label: string; labelBg: string }> = {
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ function userHue(username: string): number {
   return Math.abs(hash) % 360;
 }
 
-export function MessageItem({ message, replyTarget, onReply, onDelete, currentUsername }: Props) {
+export function MessageItem({ message, replyTarget, onSelect, onDelete, currentUsername, selected }: Props) {
   const [metaOpen, setMetaOpen] = useState(false);
   const isAgent = message.user.role === "agent";
   const isDeleted = !!message.deleted_at;
@@ -74,10 +75,11 @@ export function MessageItem({ message, replyTarget, onReply, onDelete, currentUs
   return (
     <div
       id={`msg-${message.id}`}
+      onClick={() => onSelect(message.id)}
       className={cn(
-        "group border-b border-border/50 border-l-4 transition-all duration-300",
+        "group relative border-b border-border/50 border-l-4 transition-all duration-300 cursor-pointer",
         cfg.border,
-        isAgent ? "bg-card" : "bg-background",
+        selected ? "!border-l-primary bg-primary/5" : isAgent ? "bg-card" : "bg-background",
         "hover:bg-muted/30",
       )}
     >
@@ -155,16 +157,19 @@ export function MessageItem({ message, replyTarget, onReply, onDelete, currentUs
         <div className="absolute -top-3 right-3 md:opacity-0 md:translate-y-1 md:group-hover:opacity-100 md:group-hover:translate-y-0 transition-all duration-150 flex border-2 border-border bg-card shadow-lg z-10">
           <button
             type="button"
-            onClick={() => onReply(message.id)}
-            className="px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors"
-            title="Reply"
+            onClick={(e) => { e.stopPropagation(); onSelect(message.id); }}
+            className={cn(
+              "px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors",
+              selected ? "text-primary" : "text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary",
+            )}
+            title={selected ? "Deselect" : "Select for reply"}
           >
-            ↩
+            {selected ? "✓" : "↩"}
           </button>
           {!isDeleted && message.user.username === currentUsername && (
             <button
               type="button"
-              onClick={() => onDelete(message.channel_id, message.id)}
+              onClick={(e) => { e.stopPropagation(); onDelete(message.channel_id, message.id); }}
               className="px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground hover:text-destructive hover:bg-destructive/10 transition-colors border-l-2 border-border"
               title="Delete"
             >