However while vacationing on Betazed, a Cardassian sympathizer attacked and murdered Alexa's mother Laren. Alexa's maternal family, the house of Jarena had been a large political enemy of the Cardassian Union and her death was an attempt to halt attacks by several Jarena-influenced resistance cells. Alexa's father took his wife's death hard, and he immediately resigned from Starfleet. The two relocated to Zadar; a world in the Beta quadrant not aligned with any of the major political powers of the time.

For years Alexa had flourished in beauty and intelligence, influenced by her want to learn more about her Bajoran side as well as Bajoran history. In an attempt to honor her mother, Alexa participated in an organization of Bajoran faith on Zadar and worked to helping the unfortunate, including many Bajoran nationals who fled to nonaligned Zadar. For years Alexa had seen no presence of the Federation until 2367 when Zadar became a member of the Federation. When supply routes began to bring Starfleet and Federation influences, Alexa became so hopeful in making her father and mother proud that she took the Starfleet Academy entrance exam at the age of 16. When she was accepted, her father came out of 'hiding' and returned to Earth to be closer to his maturing daughter.

For the next four years Alexa was trained as a Starfleet officer, and graduated 7th in her class in 2373. Her first posting was assistant tactical officer on the USS Appalachia, a border patrol vessel. The duty shifts were simple but worthwhile, a perfect first assignment for a new Ensign. However in 2374 a Borg vessel crossed into Federation territory on a direct course for Earth. The USS Appalachia joined several other vessels in a final defense at sector 001. When the vessel suffered a core breach, Alexa was heavily wounded in an attempt to reach an escape pod and nearly lost her life.

For several months Alexa was placed in medical leave and inactive duty. During this span of four months Alexa had indulged her curiousity and actually stayed on Bajor for a month to visit her families and to site-see. With her medical leave over, Ensign Zarides is planning to board the USS Galaxy; a posting very few Ensigns receive early on in their careers. For her courage and valor in saving another crewmembers her posting was shifted from another patrol vessel to a full-fledged Starfleet starship.

In 2377, Alexa was finally promoted to Lieutenant junior grade while serving on board the USS Galaxy. A year later she made full Lieutenant and Asistant Chief Tactical Officer while serving on board the Galaxy.

Alexa's major at the Academy was in Tactical Theory and Implementation and Anthropology.