The tutoring she received was extremely proficient, but only in certain subject matters. Whilst the sciences and mathematics were of an average standard, the subjects of history, philosophy, literature and music were taught with great importance and detail. She learned to love those accented subjects, always greeting them with enthusiasm and it was soon noticed that she had a natural ability with them. It was during this time that she got her love for both ancient history and music, most of her spare time being divided between them.

She was constantly reading and studying the ancient civilisations of the Greeks and Romans as well as familiarising herself with their literature, epics, heroes, myths and legends, so prompting her to request tuition in Latin, which she picked up with speed and ease.

With music, she went straight for the guitar, which later was traded for an electric. With the electric guitar she could explore her love for rock music, but as her taste in music was frowned upon by her parents, whose feelings were that classical music was more appropriate, Alia also chose to take-up the oboe and piano, which later developed to the pipe organ, the sheer volume of it appealing to her dramatic side. After countless hours of demanding practice, she finally became accomplished in all three instruments, as well as singing, classical for the sake of her parents and education, but also rock for her own enjoyment.

At the age of 13, she became riends with an older boy, Jonathan. He told her about his own hobbies, including martial arts and fencing. Not having any experience with either, she became intrigued, and after a great deal of persuasion was allowed an instructor for both. Fencing became her new passion and she became very skilled in the art. She didn't become quite as connected with martial arts, finding it a lot harder work, but as the challenge grew, so did her determination and ability.

At the age of 18, a serious incident, undocumented for the sake of the family's privacy, befell the family, but it is believed that Alia was heavily involved, as she was disowned by her parents, and asked to immediately leave the area. Having no choice, she complied, unhappy at having to leave a family she loved very much, despite the restrictions the life had brought her. The harshness of the realities of everyday life hit her hard after having so far led such a sheltered life.

She took her new life as an opportunity to travel. She worked herself from place to place, taking whatever work was available and aptly paid. However word soon got round about her and she was offered work from various dealers using her stealth and combat skills. Although this new life offered an excitement that was missing from her predicament back on Earth, she became increasingly unhappy from being rejected by her family, spending more and more of her spare time in bars. Before long she had become a very heavy drinker.

However, one day, after settling down into the corner of a gloomy bar, after she had returned from another successful mission, to contemplate her choices in the last 4 years, she watched as a familiar man came and sat opposite her. Recognising him as Jonathan, she warmly welcomed him. Their friendship started to re-establish itself and it was Jonathan that helped her sort herself out again, and then insisted that she return to Earth and try for Starfleet. Surprised when she was offered a place after passing both examination and interview, she settled into life at the academy. She loved it, she had the opportunity to follow academic passions as well as create a new social life for herself. Sciences being greeted with little importance by her tutors as a child, Alia had to work harder in those areas, that along with a few run-ins and clashes she had with various instructors at the academy made her training difficult, which in turn made her work harder. She was finally rewarded by graduating in the top percentile of her class. She was offered a commission that surpassed her expectations, a post aboard the USS Galaxy.

Channeling her excitement with her new posting into her work, Alia quickly earned her first promotion to Lieutenant junior grade while serving on board the Galaxy at the end of 2377. In 2378 Alia was again promoted to full Lieutenant while serving on board the USS Galaxy

She is always keen to engage in conversation or debate with anyone willing, not only does she enjoy the mental stimulation, but she also enjoys hearing other peoples views, beliefs and opinions, especially on history and religion as she had been brought up in a religious household and believes that there is in fact a God. Flirting comes as a natural part of her communication with others, but she is actually rather selective when it comes to picking the men who will have a chance of getting anywhere with her.

To her true friends, which are few and far between, she will display an almost fierce loyalty. However, any enemies would be warned of her dark, sarcastic streak, short fuse and the fact that she has no qualms about dealing with any confrontation; and it's not likely to be just her acid-tongue that is allowed to lash out, as her past is littered with physical disputes. It's this side of her personality that has sometimes brought her very close to disputes with senior officers, however she has always managed to keep herself in check with her senior officers so far.

She deals with her aggression and frustration through music, usually playing or composing, as well as playing for the sheer enjoyment of it. She finds the strident grandeur of the old pipe organ deeply satisfying, especially when angry or uptight, and when using the holodeck, unless it's one of many training programmes, it's usually a recreation of an ancient English cathedral, fitted with the finest of pipe organs. However, it's the excitement, versatility and energy that draws her to the electric guitar, as well as the opportunity to indulge her passion for rock, rather than the satisfying symmetry and appropriately ornamented classical music that accompanies such instrument choices as the pipe organ and oboe.