There were two messages. One was the public announcement Ishar had issued to the entire military, while the other was a private message Gustav had sent to the Sea Race Fleet's three fleet commanders using his personal authorization.
Ishar's announcement naturally left every officer of both races dumbfounded, and the Sea Race Fleet immediately erupted in an uproar.
As their supreme commander, Gustav had always enjoyed considerable prestige within the Sea Race Fleet. He had personally promoted more than half its senior officers, and their first reactions to the news were shock and disbelief.
They contacted their commander to verify it, but every message vanished without a trace. Not only did they receive no response from Gustav, even their own flagship had gone completely silent.
Then came reports of the flagship attacking their own fleet, seemingly settling the matter of his betrayal once and for all!
Now everyone was stunned. Could Ishar really be telling the truth?
The Sea Race officers were gripped by anxiety. After confirming that Gustav could not be reached, the three fleet commanders assumed command under the wartime emergency regulations and immediately exchanged the information they had received.
Next, they convened an emergency internal meeting...
"Ishar said Commander Gustav had defected, and now we've lost contact with the flagship. This whole situation is far too strange!
"But whatever the case, I refuse to believe the commander would betray us. We've followed him for years, and no one knows what sort of man he is better than the people here. I simply cannot believe he would defect!"
The speaker was the First Fleet's commander, Gustav's absolute confidant and foremost general.
He had followed Gustav for years and believed he understood him thoroughly, so he had never believed Gustav would defect in the first place.
*A conspiracy!