This is Chapter 8 of The Universal Good Deal, you may want to start at the beginning or go back to Chapter 7.

The Aliens had arrived simultaneously over many of the large cities on Earth. In every case they were accompanied by a banner advertising in the local language their offer to buy two and get three free.

Given the warlike nature of this period in Martian history, it is surprising that no one tried to attack the Aliens. This question of why they greeted the Aliens with as little hostility as they did, and indeed how they failed to recognize the threat the Aliens posed, is perhaps the central question of all of First Contact.

The Martians clearly did not take the Aliens’ invasion seriously and now what’s left of them is just a shadow of what was.¹ How did they not see what was coming? If Welles had been more energetic and determined, she could have quite easily pushed the Aliens back into space.² Instead, when the Martians first beheld their ships approach the ground, and a number of strange beings, all naked and white, emerging, they fled in fright to their homes.³ Finding, however, that there was no attempt to pursue, nor molest them, they gradually overcame their terror, and approached the Aliens with awe; frequently prostrating themselves, and making signs of adoration.⁴

The meaning of the various ceremonies, with which they received the Aliens, can only be the subject of conjectures, and those uncertain and partial: they were, however, without doubt expressive of high respect on the part of the Martians.⁵

I believe I have already mentioned something of the Martians cult of whiteness. It is clear that the Martians saw the Aliens' whiteness and admired it,⁶ since from time immemorial their ancestors had believed that whiteness was the most important quality of a person.⁷ Mostly, the Martians connected this quality of whiteness to beauty and sexual appeal, and the color seemed to inspire in them overall sensations of desire and compassion.⁸

It is true, also, that they believed in the right of the whitest persons to conquer all others, and that such persons were their natural sovereigns.⁹ They could not deny that the Aliens were whiter than themselves.¹⁰ In the white-faced Alien, with open front, and honest meaning, domestic, affectionate, the Martians could not see the cannibal or plunderer, or assassin.¹¹

There were, of course, tragedies. One Alien lost his balance descending the ramp from his saucer and fell. He crashed onto a park bench and it was clear from the odd angle of his head that he had broken his neck. Another Alien was impaled by a malfunctioning umbrella released by a spectator. There were also several Alien ships that accidentally went aground, smashing themselves into little bits.¹² In some cases, people tried to help the Aliens; in most cases, they watched and shuffled from one foot to the other. Such accidents were common with first contacts. The Aliens like to say that these tragedies were intentional, brazen methods of encouraging their agents to greater sales.¹³

Many historians have described the explorer disorder—in which explorers, men on the track of the unknown, fall dry-mouthed and exhausted in lands where the natives, moving just ahead of them or behind, or standing right before them, are living, as they have done for generations, off the land.¹⁴ It seems that Aliens were not immune to this disorder.

New Aliens descended the ramps, retrieved their fallen comrades, and began to set up shop. Our people have always believed in trade. It is clear that they did not hawk their most advanced technologies, especially not at first; rather, they sold what amounted to trinkets and baubles. Martians traveled long distances to buy these Alien goods, and any small matter they received was held in high estimation, since it had come from what they termed 'Outer Space.'¹⁵ The general opinion was that whatever the Aliens sold must by its nature be highly advanced. Some people bought their wares simply for the collectors' appeal, assuming that if the Aliens were ever to leave or run out, everything was bound to go up in value. The prices weren't too bad, either.