diff --git a/docs/rust-port.md b/docs/rust-port.md
index e3fb3c1..0953e54 100644
--- a/docs/rust-port.md
+++ b/docs/rust-port.md
@@ -36,10 +36,15 @@ polymeter, and the playback-flow tokens. No hardware, fully testable in the cont
 
 This is the highest-value slice: small, gated by work already done, and it proves the toolchain.
 
-### Stage 2 — scheduler/engine
-Port the look-ahead step scheduler. `engine.js` already marks these primitives
-`PORTS TO FIRMWARE`, and `app.py`'s `tick()` is the same model. Host-test it by asserting click
-*timings* for known patches (e.g. swing ratios, polymeter bar lengths) — still no hardware.
+### Stage 2 — scheduler/engine  ✅ DONE (`rust/track-format/src/schedule.rs`)
+Ported the look-ahead step scheduler (the `durs` math from `app.py` `tick`/`_prepare_next`).
+`render(track, bars)` produces the deterministic click timeline; `tests/schedule.rs` asserts the
+timings — quarter-note spacing, subdivisions, swing 2/3:1/3, polymeter 5:4, accents/ghosts, mute,
+multi-bar looping. All green on the host, no hardware. The real-time firmware loop will just play
+this timeline against the wall clock.
+
+**Also done:** the crate is now `#![no_std]` + `alloc` and **builds for the RP2350 target**
+(`cargo build --lib --target thumbv8m.main-none-eabihf`) — the codec + scheduler are firmware-ready.
 
 ### Stage 3 — drivers (hardware)
 On `embassy` / `rp-hal`:
diff --git a/rust/track-format/src/lib.rs b/rust/track-format/src/lib.rs
index 7ba3165..7f3adc3 100644
--- a/rust/track-format/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/track-format/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@
 //! `tests/fixtures/track-format.json` — the same golden vectors `engine.js` and
 //! `app.py` pass. This is the third implementation; it must agree with them.
 //!
-//! Uses `std` (String/Vec/BTreeSet) for now. A `no_std` + `alloc` version is a later
-//! refinement (swap the collections for `alloc` equivalents); the logic is unchanged.
+//! `no_std` + `alloc`: builds for the RP2350 firmware target
+//! (`thumbv8m.main-none-eabihf`) as well as on the host for tests.
+#![no_std]
 
-use std::collections::BTreeSet;
+#[macro_use]
+extern crate alloc;
+
+use alloc::collections::BTreeSet;
+use alloc::string::{String, ToString};
+use alloc::vec::Vec;
+
+pub mod schedule;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Lane {
@@ -350,7 +358,7 @@ fn lane_to_str(l: &Lane) -> String {
 pub fn serialize(t: &Track) -> String {
     let mut parts = vec![format!("t{}", t.bpm)];
     if let Some(v) = t.volume {
-        parts.push(format!("vol{}", (v * 100.0).round() as i64));
+        parts.push(format!("vol{}", (v * 100.0 + 0.5) as i64)); // no_std-safe round (volume is 0..1)
     }
     if t.count_ms > 0 {
         parts.push(format!("cd{}", t.count_ms / 1000));
diff --git a/rust/track-format/src/schedule.rs b/rust/track-format/src/schedule.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..600c60c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/track-format/src/schedule.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+//! Look-ahead scheduler timing — Stage 2 of the Rust port (see `docs/rust-port.md`).
+//!
+//! Deterministic: turns a parsed `Track` + bpm into the click timeline. This is the same
+//! `durs` math the firmware uses (`app.py` `_prepare_next` / `tick`) and the engine.js
+//! scheduler primitives marked "PORTS TO FIRMWARE" — the real-time firmware loop just
+//! plays this timeline against the wall clock. Host-testable because the *timing grid*
+//! is pure.
+
+use crate::{Lane, Track};
+use alloc::vec::Vec;
+
+const NS_PER_MIN: i64 = 60_000_000_000;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+pub struct Click {
+    pub time_ns: i64,
+    pub lane: usize,
+    pub level: u8,
+}
+
+/// The master bar length in ns — defined by the first lane (beats = steps / sub).
+pub fn master_bar_ns(track: &Track) -> i64 {
+    let beat = NS_PER_MIN / track.bpm.max(1);
+    let m = &track.lanes[0];
+    let beats = (m.levels.len().max(1) / m.sub.max(1) as usize) as i64;
+    beat * beats.max(1)
+}
+
+/// Per-step durations (ns) for a lane. Mirrors the firmware exactly:
+/// - poly  → the lane's steps are spread evenly across the master bar (true polymeter)
+/// - swing → even subdivisions split 2/3 (on-beat) + 1/3 (off-beat)
+/// - else  → uniform beat/sub
+pub fn lane_durs(lane: &Lane, bpm: i64, master_bar_ns: i64) -> Vec<i64> {
+    let beat = NS_PER_MIN / bpm.max(1);
+    let sub = lane.sub.max(1) as i64;
+    let steps = lane.levels.len().max(1) as i64;
+    if lane.poly {
+        let d = master_bar_ns / steps;
+        vec![d; steps as usize]
+    } else if lane.swing && sub % 2 == 0 {
+        let pair = beat / (sub / 2).max(1);
+        let lng = pair * 2 / 3;
+        let sht = pair / 3;
+        (0..steps)
+            .map(|s| if (s % sub) % 2 == 0 { lng } else { sht })
+            .collect()
+    } else {
+        let d = beat / sub;
+        vec![d; steps as usize]
+    }
+}
+
+/// Render the deterministic click timeline over `bars` master bars.
+/// Every lane starts together at t=0 and loops; muted lanes and rests (level 0) are dropped.
+pub fn render(track: &Track, bars: i64) -> Vec<Click> {
+    let mbar = master_bar_ns(track);
+    let total = mbar * bars.max(1);
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    for (li, lane) in track.lanes.iter().enumerate() {
+        if lane.mute {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let durs = lane_durs(lane, track.bpm, mbar);
+        if durs.iter().all(|&d| d <= 0) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let mut t = 0i64;
+        let mut s = 0usize;
+        while t < total {
+            let lvl = lane.levels[s];
+            if lvl > 0 {
+                out.push(Click { time_ns: t, lane: li, level: lvl });
+            }
+            t += durs[s].max(1);
+            s = (s + 1) % durs.len();
+        }
+    }
+    out.sort_by_key(|c| (c.time_ns, c.lane));
+    out
+}
diff --git a/rust/track-format/tests/schedule.rs b/rust/track-format/tests/schedule.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c41f724
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/track-format/tests/schedule.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+//! Stage 2 scheduler timing tests — deterministic, no hardware. Asserts the click
+//! timeline math (subdivision spacing, swing ratio, polymeter, accents, mute).
+
+use track_format::parse;
+use track_format::schedule::{lane_durs, master_bar_ns, render};
+
+const S: i64 = 1_000_000_000; // one second in ns
+
+#[test]
+fn quarter_notes_at_120() {
+    let t = parse("t120;kick:4=Xxxx");
+    let cl = render(&t, 1);
+    assert_eq!(cl.iter().map(|c| c.time_ns).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![0, S / 2, S, 3 * S / 2]);
+    assert_eq!(cl.iter().map(|c| c.level).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![2, 1, 1, 1]); // accent on beat 1
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn eighth_subdivision_spacing() {
+    // hats on the quarters only (X.x.x.x.) over an 8th grid → 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 s
+    let t = parse("t120;hatClosed:4/2=X.x.x.x.");
+    let cl = render(&t, 1);
+    assert_eq!(cl.iter().map(|c| c.time_ns).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec![0, S / 2, S, 3 * S / 2]);
+    assert_eq!(cl[0].level, 2);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn swing_splits_two_thirds_one_third() {
+    let t = parse("t120;ride:4/2s=Xxxxxxxx"); // all 8ths sounding, swung
+    let durs = lane_durs(&t.lanes[0], 120, master_bar_ns(&t));
+    let beat = 500_000_000;
+    assert_eq!(durs[0], beat * 2 / 3); // on-beat = long
+    assert_eq!(durs[1], beat / 3); // off-beat = short
+    assert!(durs[0] > durs[1]);
+    // a long+short pair is one beat (within integer-division rounding)
+    assert!((durs[0] + durs[1] - beat).abs() <= 1);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn polymeter_five_over_four() {
+    let t = parse("t100;kick:4=Xxxx;claves:5=Xxxxx~");
+    let mbar = master_bar_ns(&t);
+    assert_eq!(mbar, 2_400_000_000); // 4 beats at 100 bpm
+
+    // claves (lane 1) is poly: 5 steps spread evenly across the master bar
+    assert_eq!(lane_durs(&t.lanes[1], 100, mbar), vec![480_000_000; 5]);
+
+    let claves: Vec<i64> = render(&t, 1).into_iter().filter(|c| c.lane == 1).map(|c| c.time_ns).collect();
+    assert_eq!(claves, vec![0, 480_000_000, 960_000_000, 1_440_000_000, 1_920_000_000]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn accents_and_ghosts_carry_through() {
+    let t = parse("t120;snare:4/3=..gg.gX.gg.g"); // ghosts (3) + an accent (2)
+    let cl = render(&t, 1);
+    assert!(cl.iter().any(|c| c.level == 3)); // ghost present
+    assert!(cl.iter().any(|c| c.level == 2)); // accent present
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn muted_lane_is_silent() {
+    let t = parse("t120;kick:4=Xxxx;snare:4=Xxxx!");
+    let cl = render(&t, 1);
+    assert!(cl.iter().all(|c| c.lane == 0)); // the muted snare produces no clicks
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn loops_over_multiple_bars() {
+    let t = parse("t120;kick:4=Xxxx");
+    assert_eq!(render(&t, 2).len(), 8); // 4 quarter-note clicks per bar × 2 bars
+}