And all the lies.
More than twenty people dressed in red tunics and trousers accented in gold ran onto the plaza above us with drums and the crowd erupted in loud clapping. The drummers arranged themselves in a half circle with their drums placed in front of them. At the center stood a young man with a giant hanging drum, and he hit it with his powerful arms, a drumstick in each hand. I stood toward the middle of the crowded square, but my helmet was able to zoom in on any object within a half-mile distance. The other drummers picked up on his signal then began a powerful rhythm and beat against their own drums, hands flying so fast and in unison, they were almost a blur at times.
The strong cadence of the drumbeats filled the square, reverberating against the monument hall, against the glass and steel high-rises that towered around us, lit in neon lights and bright moving advertisements. Aircars and -peds zipped overhead, but the drummers with their agile fists and swirling sleeves made us forget all of this—took us back in time with their primal beats. Our reactions were completely visceral, as the people, mei or you, bobbed their heads and tapped their feet to the tempo that riveted us. In this moment, we were together and we felt as one.
The performance ended after a rousing solo from the young man at the center. A moment of silence followed after his large drum stopped reverberating on the last dramatic beat, and the quiet was palpable before the audience burst into cheers and applause. Many in the audience stamped their feet and whistled in enthusiasm. You could say whatever you liked about Jin, but the man knew how to put on a good show. As the drummers ran off the plaza carrying their instruments, two figures emerged from the hall’s entrance, both clad in white suits. I zoomed in on them and saw that their sleeve edges were striped in red and a white sun design embroidered over a square blue background was set above their hearts—an exact replica of the Taiwanese flag.
How patriotic.
Although his helmet was tinted, I knew the taller individual was Jin himself. I glanced at the person standing beside him—a woman—and suddenly realized it was Daiyu. Not only did I recognize the long lines of her physique, but in the way she stood, legs slightly apart. If I could see beneath her tinted helmet, I knew her chin would be thrust forward in a challenge.
Suddenly, both Jin’s and Daiyu’s helmets lost their tint and we could see their faces. Jin began speaking, and he was directly projected in helmet to me. He was a good-looking man in his forties with a slight gray at his temples, and confident as only the richest person in Taiwan could be. Annoyed, I tried to turn the image off via thought, then voice command, but neither worked. All yous in suit would be seeing this broadcast—whether they liked it or not. The best I could do was minimize the broadcast in helmet.
“Fellow friends and citizens of Taiwan,” Jin said. “Today is a momentous day.” He raised both his arms up in a V, palms facing the sky for emphasis, before bringing them slowly down again to his sides. “Since the establishment of Jin Corp, our suits have reached a global market, becoming one of the most prized possessions worldwide for those who can afford it. Jin Corp officially put Taiwan on the map as a leader in innovation and technology, being seen as manufacturing the best and finely engineered products. My company has created jobs for thousands of Taiwanese and made the world take notice. No longer is the ‘Made in Taiwan’ label said with derision.” Jin emphasized his last words with a fist thrust in the air, and the large crowd packed in Liberty Square hollered and clapped.
I looked more carefully at the masses around me—all the yous in suits were cheering, which was to be expected. But so were many of the meis standing near me. Other than the pale man in his twenties with the hacking cough, all the other meis beside me were dressed warmly and appeared healthy. The majority wore masks over their faces. It was true that Jin Corp created jobs for us, but at the same time, their contracts were notorious for underpaying, because they received so many bids. Jin Corp was making itself rich from the sweat and blood of the people. It didn’t have many fans among the meis, so the enthusiasm I saw here seemed false.
“I promised you momentous news, and I won’t hold off any longer.” Jin beckoned with his hand, like someone who was used to being obeyed. Like royalty. Two figures emerged from the depths of the memorial hall to join Jin and Daiyu on the plaza, one man and one woman; both were suited. “Jin Corp has developed a much less expensive suit for the average citizen. These suits are basic and do not have the in helmet capabilities of our custom suits, but they do still give you regulated air, protecting you from the harsh pollutants you breathe every day.”
The two figures turned a full circle to show off the suits. And as if to emphasize Jin’s point, the plaza began to echo with the sounds of people with wracking coughs. I cast my gaze toward the outer edges of the square. No yous in suits stood there, and all the meis looked more worn, with clothes that were threadbare, their hard lives lived etched as deep grooves in their faces. I saw Arun standing near one of the pine trees that lined the square. All my friends would be here today—but I was attending alone as Jason, with only a few you teens as new acquaintances I knew there.
“These more affordable suits start at two hundred thousand yuan,” Jin said, “a starting price that is cheaper than most automobiles on the market.”
The crowd began whispering excitedly among themselves, a soft din that became a palpable buzz.
“Affordable suits for yourself and your loved ones to prolong your lives.” Jin flourished his arm at the two models wearing the basic suits. “Isn’t that something worth investing in?”
The people around me all broke into raucous applause again, though I noted that few of the tired-looking meis on the periphery clapped as enthusiastically, if at all. The guards stood with their arms folded behind them, as apart from the meis as possible, like anything differentiated them other than their crisp clean Jin Corp uniforms. And the fact that Jin ensured that his guards were fed well so they were strong enough to protect him. That they received good medical attention. As you would keep your guard dogs.
“This is a new venture that was prompted by my daughter, Daiyu,” Jin went on, and the cambots all panned to her.