Xayella was born in the year 2352 to a wealthy family in Johannesburg, South Africa. For 100 years, her family has been the largest distributor of Dilithium in the quadrant and has been one of Starfleet's biggest suppliers of crystals for just as long. They own mining colonies on dozens of planets in the quadrant, and even a few in the Gamma Quadrant, bringing the total to 40. They are under contract with the Federation to supply them with dilithium for their ships' warp drives, but her parents also distribute this rare, but highly necessary substance, to the Klingons and Ferengi, making them highly influential and affluent people. To add to their success, her parents recently created the largest dilithium synthesis facility in all of the quadrant, and have commissioned their own scientists to perfect the theta-matrix compositing techniques involved in dilithum manufacturing. For this reason, they have become a trusted and reliable source of synthetic dilithium for the Federation and have thus made many friends and connections in Starfleet.

Her parent's, wanting to keep the business within the family, planned for Xayella to head the company when she was of age, but she had other plans. At the age of 16, after being home-schooled since the age of 4, Xayella was sent to study abroad in France - or at least that's what she tells everyone. The fact of the matter is, Xayella rebelled when she discovered she was being conditioned to take the reigns of the family business, and being the free-spirited, stubborn youth she was, she flat out refused. Her parents, thinking she was getting too defiant for her own good, shipped her off to a boarding school - an exclusive, high-priced one, but a boarding school, nonetheless. Instead of taming her and making her the perfect, obediant daughter her parent's wanted, Xayella became even more defiant. The only thing her parents don't regret about their decision to send her there was that Xayella became fluent in French, which was better than nothing at all.

After spending two years at La Pension de la Vierge Mere, Xayella's parents sent for her to return to Johannesburg, but instead of obeying their orders, Xayella signed herself up for Starfleet Academy as a last act of defiance. Suffice it to say, she was disowned and disinherited, but that didn't stop her from acting like an arrogant, rich kid while she was at the academy. During her years there, Xayella excelled at her studies, graduating at the top her class in the Sciences and although she was one of the more popular students, she was the most disliked. Her haughtiness and over-confidence made her ambitious and almost ruthless to the point where she would go to great lengths to get what she wanted; she even went so far, one time, as to sabotage a fellow student's experiment when she felt her position as head of the class was being threatened.

Upon graduation from the academy, Xayella was assigned to the USS Doland. Xayella acted as Junior Science Officer, but was quickly transferred after a dispute with her senior office. In Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Morley's report, he stated Xayella was too arrogant and didn't take well to following orders from someone she considered inferior to her. Morley also stated that she was curt, insulting and although it wasn't officially in the report, the story goes that during the dispute, Xayella was called an "arrogant brat" by Morley, whom she merely laughed at and slapped in the face.

Xayella would have instantly been court martialled for her actions if it wasn't for the influence of her parents. Although they no longer considered her a member of the family, she still bore the Tagliesh name and any disgrace she suffered would carry over to them. In other words, they saved her career to save themselves, the same instinct they instilled in her and the same one that gave her no inhibitions about stepping on anyone to achieve success.

Her second assignment was on the USS Osiris, where she remained for four years and achieved the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Xayella completed her term there without incidence, but she requested transfer when the promotion she had set her mind on getting fell through and went to another officer. The Captain of the Osiris at first refused to transfer her, but later granted it after Xayella basically had a tantrum and threatened to contact her family immediately and have them arrange a little meeting with the captain's superior. In a matter of hours, Xayella was on a runabout, heading towards the USS Sulu, where she now acts as Chief Science Officer.

Xayella, plainly put, is a spoiled brat who would go to any lengths to get what she wants. She is ruthless, selfish, and does everything with her own needs in mind. She is proud, and arrogant, which is even moreso annoying in that she knows she is and revels in it.

Xayella may have gotten where she is now through the influence of her parents' wealth, but she is as intelligent as she likes to think she is. She has the potential to excel in her position, but her superiority complex alienates her from her fellow crew members, deterring her from advancing, although she isn't bothered by that; she only joined Starfleet as an act of defiance against her parents, but she's found she enjoys being a scientist and has decided to stick it out for fun and to piss her parents off even more.

Xayella enjoys flirting immensely, but she never plays for keeps. She's still a freespirit at heart, and doesn't want to be tied down. Being the daughter of wealthy parents and living an isolated childhood away from other children has caused her to become lacking in social etiquette, which leads her to speak her mind freely, even if her remarks tend to be blunt and rude. Xayella's one redeeming quality is that she is a born leader. She works well under pressure and is confident in her abilities, making her the perfect Chief Science Officer.

Xayella is vain along with her other qualities, which is why she enjoys keeping in peak physical condition. She is of medium build, but well toned and agile. She has short, auburn hair that she often keeps loose or in a bun, and her eyes are an emerald green colour. She is beautiful by all standards, but her seemingly permanent scowl detracts from that and makes her appear bitter.