The Chaotic Life of Qadr ul Islam on the Sora 5

Netflix in Space

The clock had just struck 7 and the rays of light reflecting off Earth where now seeping through the windows of the Sora 5. The day had been a busy one, everyone had their respective tasks, and as captain, Laki had had it the hardest.

There were messages to look at and respond to, inquiries from neighbouring planets to answer and log, weekly reports back to NASA, and visits to universal royals to priorities. Laki's plate was brimming with responsibilities. Which is why, today, Laki was taking the night off.

Laki finished up the conclusion of that week's report, saved, and swiftly shut his laptop. Finally, he thought, some time off!

Laki got up and walked over to his bed to lay down. Whilst doing so he checked his phone and noticed a few messages from home.

Mom: Hi honey! How's it going up there? I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing.

Laki smiled up at the message gleaming on his phone screen, he sure did love his mother, and this was definitely one of the many reasons.

I'm doing great, how about you? How're Tanya and Saffiya? Are you all eating well? Sending lots of love Ma! I really needed a message like that right about today!

Laki typed out his response smoothly, smiling at the last part, but also noticing how his chest tightened at the sentence being formed. He missed them, his family was so dear to him, what would he do without the occasional check-up from his mother. Laki thought he would likely go insane. His mother had been beside him for most of his life, and it stayed that way even after the passing of his father. Only then, his mother was his father also.

Mom: I'm good too, honey. Tanya's been helping a lot around the house, she did catch the flu just over a week ago, but it is looking good now. Saffiya comes by after work and helps out too, she's constantly worried about your health and how you're being treated up there. She also loves to sit me down and have a chat while she cooks, she refuses to let me do it for her, you really brought home a special one, Laki! We watch movies together on Fridays.

The response was satisfactory, and Laki felt good knowing how his family was doing so far away on Earth.

The last part of his mother's message played on his mind. What movies could they be watching? Are they comedies or romances? Old ones or new ones? Saffiya had a thing for thrillers, especially Korean ones.

He pondered over the time Saffiya had him sit through all twelve hours of the series Happiness. He'd slowly got used to seeing the people with "Mad Persons Disease" by the fifth episode, but the first time he saw it was so scary he'd hid behind the couch.

Laki logged onto Netflix to see what was saved on the Watch List and found an old movie from 2009 starring Eddie Murphy: Imagine That.

Its Friday today isn't? Laki thought.

Just then, someone knocked on his door, "Can I come in, Laki?"

It was Qadr.

"Come on in." He said, opening the door.

"Why don't you use Teleparty like Nero does with his family. He has to use multiple screens because he can't keep his family all in one place."

"Really?" Laki asked, "It works here?"

"You can use live chat, but I think if you call them, it'll feel more like home, you know?"

"Can you call Nero here?" Laki asked, "I need him to show me how to do it."

Nero arrived soon after, "Thanks for the save Captain, Britney looked about ready to kill me again and I don't even know why this time."

"Didn't you say that last time?"

"Well, I never know why she wants to kill me, she just always does."

Laki then explained his situation to Nero, when he'd finished, the other man tutted, "You should have come to me earlier, Captain." He sighed, "Come, let's get some quality family time for the Limas!"

Nero quickly created a Teleparty link for Laki to send to Saffiya.

"Thanks Nero," Laki called before the other left.

Nero gave him a small salute, "No probs, Captain."

That's when Laki's phone rang.

"Laki?" Saffiya's face appeared on the holo screen,

"Tell me this isn't the first time you've thought of using Teleparty?"

"Well why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Because I assumed you were too busy?"

"Fair enough," he chuckled. "Get Mom and Tanya to sit down."

"We need to order food," she said. "How about that Lebanese restaurant we went to before you left?"

"Yeah, that place was nice." he said, smiling. "Go ahead, ask them what they want."

"Mom, Tanya!" Saffiya called out. "Laki says we're getting Lebanese food."

"Alright!" they called back and quickly appear next to Saffiya in the holo screen as well.

"Hi Laki!" Tanya chimes, "You want to watch Imagine That right?"

"Yeah."

The Lima family then gets sucked into chaotic family conversations as they decided what to order whilst Laki watched 879p happily.

When the movie started no one spoke until Eddie Murphy started talking and Laki's mom chimed, "I can hear Donkey's voice!"

Saffiya started nodding, "And Mushu."

The family spoke throughout the whole movie only being quiet when Tanya said "Shhhhh" which happened every five minutes, but both Laki's mom and Saffiya were big on movies and had something to say for every part.

When the movie ended and after Laki ended the phone call, he began wondering around the halls of the ship until he walked into the common room to see Nero making coffee for himself whilst Qadr drank some tea.

"Boys, come here for a second." he said.

Obediently, Qadr and Nero walked over to Laki and were shocked to suddenly be pulled into a hug.

"Thank you," Laki whispers as tears slipped down his face, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Qadr whispered, patting Laki's back as his werewolf tail started wagging back and forth.

"No problem, Captain," Nero sighed. "We're here for you mate."

"I know."

Nero then quickly quipped, "We can't exactly be anywhere else."

The three of them began to laugh heartily at the remark, still huddled together, like the brothers they were at heart.