One day, as Talara prepared for another grueling training session, a notification illuminated her communicator.

The call was from the manager, a long-time acquaintance whose voice, when it came through, carried a somber tone; his hesitation was palpable, an unspoken tension stretching between them.

"Talara, I have troubling news," he began, his words measured but heavy.

"The management has arrived at a decision to trade off the current team. The reasons are unclear, but... they can’t afford to pay your severance."

Talara’s brow furrowed, her grip tightening on the device; her pulse quickened, a mix of confusion and anger.

"The team ownership has been transferred to you," the manager continued.

"You have two choices: rebuild the team and prepare them for the upcoming tournament, or pay a hefty sum to the association and disband it entirely."

"As a friend, I’ve managed to extend the deadline for submitting team rosters until the end of the month, but... that’s all I could do. I’m sorry, Talara. I wish you luck."

Before she could respond, the link went dead, the silence pressing against her like a storm about to break.

It was the kind of silence that struck with weight, not peace - a silence that demanded answers she didn’t yet have.

It shattered moments later, as Talara’s voice erupted in a torrent of anger; the room trembled with the force of her outrage, the bottled frustrations of years spilling out.

"You lousy piece of trash! You call yourself a friend?" she spat, her voice carrying the sharp edge of betrayal, followed by a stream of Vrixian curses, vivid and unrestrained.

Her frustration surged like a tidal wave; raw, fierce, and utterly characteristic of her fiery temperament. It burned as fiercely as the battles she had once fought, yet did little to ease the weight pressing against her chest.

*****

The following evening found Talara drowning her frustrations in Borgain, her head slumped over the bar counter as she vented to the bartender.

"Those bloody idiots. Those Fuguurin Xhanta mi'taxn!!" she growled, spewing Vrixian curses with reckless abandon.

"Enough with the drama, Talara," came the bartender's sharp retort. 

"And stop spitting those curses. I do understand Vrixian, you know.”

“Anyways, I know why you're here."

Talara squinted at her, waving the bottle lazily; the motion carried a distinct mix of exasperation and mockery. 

"What do you know? Life’s just perfect for you. Pretty customers line up at your counter, all smiles and tips."

"Jealousy doesn't pair well with Borgain. I did offer you a job here, you know." 

Talara snorted. 

"Me? The great and mighty Talara, working as a waitress? It's beneath my glory."

The bartender smirked, pouring a drink with practiced ease. 

"Glory, huh? Well, here's to a glorious triumph in the tournament."

"Come on, Lili, don’t mock your poor, old boss!"

"Don’t call me Lili," the bartender snapped. "It’s Liora. Or better yet, just don’t call me anything." 

She set the glass down with a sharp clink. "Now, get lost, Tin Can."

Talara smirked. "For old times’ sake, just toss me some ideas. You’d have been the main strategist if not for Ezra …" 

Her words faltered, her expression shifting as regret flickered across her face. The unspoken name lingered between them, heavy and haunting.

She glanced at Liora apologetically.

Liora froze, her hand tightening around a glass she pretended to clean; her composed demeanor cracked, the sorrow behind her eyes impossible to miss.

For a moment, silence hung between them, fragile and loaded with memories neither wanted to face. Talara coughed awkwardly, desperate to change the subject. 

"So, uh, where was I? Oh, right! You’ve received the privilege of assisting the renowned Silent Echoes; galaxy-famous, no less."

"Renowned, my ass!" Liora shot back, her composure returning as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, that too," Talara quipped with shamelessness that left Liora momentarily dumbfounded.

"Imagine the headlines," Talara continued, gesturing theatrically. 

"The Ra twins save the team and claim the championship trophy!"

"The Ra twins?"

"You and me. Tala(Ra) and Lio(Ra). Get it?"

Liora sighed, pausing long enough to offer a flat, "Pathetic joke."

"You’re just mad I didn’t take that waitress gig!"

"I’m mad because your sense of humor is appalling," Liora muttered. 

“But fine. Let me make a few calls, see if I can find players for your team. Now leave; you're scaring the customers, Cyborg!"

"Wait… Cyborg? Really?" Talara exclaimed, gesturing dramatically at herself. 

"You’re just jealous. These mechanized arms can lift two fully grown groundbulls! Look at these abs; your customers over there have been gawking for the past half hour."

"They’re not gawking, they're Ansorin; a peace-loving species. They’ve never seen such an obnoxious muscular abomination before, and you’re making them shiver."

"See? Told you. I'm just bad for business."

"Exactly. Now go," Liora snapped, shoving Talara toward the door.

Talara smirked as she stepped into the night, but the expression faltered, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her burdens. The cool air stung as reality crept back in, muted by the brief reprieve of banter but never truly gone.

"The kid’s still good at heart," Talara muttered, her smirk turning to a shadow of gloom.

"Well, I lost mine a long time ago."

Her chest tightened, the weight of the situation pressing heavy on her; every step forward felt like dragging the anchor of her past behind her.

Disbanding the team wasn’t an option; it wasn’t just her livelihood; it was her duty.

The Galactic Star League was more than a tournament; it was her way of honoring the memory of her fallen comrades. Walking away would mean betraying everything they had fought for.

But the thought of building a new team, assembling and training them on such short notice, seemed insurmountable. Failure wasn’t just a risk; it was a fear she couldn’t shake, a shadow that loomed larger with every passing moment.

Even so, Talara drew herself upright, determination flickering in her eyes.

She wouldn’t let the past defeat her; not again.

With her hard-won experience, her unyielding spirit, and the strength she carried from years of battle, she vowed to forge a new Silent Echo. A team capable of conquering the stars and carrying forward the legacy of those she had lost.

*****