2380:
It was difficult for her on both. She often felt trapped between two worlds. On Earth she was considered a bully and on Qo'nos a weak human girl. Every time she thought she had the hang of one world, she was almost always shipped off to the other. To top things off, she felt ignored by her father and hated by her uncle's wife, Leah.
Things finally were decided, at least in her mind, when she was fourteen and had a falling out with her aunt at her uncle's funeral. Arel left Earth for Qo'nos and spent every waking moment trying to become as Klingon as was humanly possible, with the exception of her love of human books and food.
Arel was shunned by most Klingons until two years later when she met B'rec, the first friend she had ever really had, who took her under his wing. From that day on they were inseparable, until B'rec was killed during a raid on a Romulan outpost. Arel took his death hard, so hard, in fact, that her father decided that she should return to Earth for a time. Arel was furious and defied him by going on raids with B'rec's remaining friends. She was a part of three raids before she, and two other Klingons, were arrested by the Federation.
Dr. Smith made a deal with the Federation that Arel would work off her sentence in Starfleet and made Arel swear a blood oath to do so. Arel promised but was still angry with her father and the two spoke little during her time at the Academy. She was just about ready to forgive him, two weeks shy of graduation, when she was informed of his death on Qo'nos.
Arel spent the first part of her 'sentence' on Galaxy and has now been transferred to the USS Miranda. After six months as the Miranda's Assistant Chief of Security, Arel was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Despite her initial resistance to being in Starfleet, she is performing her duties exceedingly well.
Arel was promoted to the position of Chief of Security aboard the Miranda in early 2379.
Despite the advice of both friends and family, Arel entered into a relationship in 2380 with the dislikable Commander James Mitchell, and later became pregnant. When she told Mitchell of this, he summarily ended the relationship. Captain Elaithin was forced to make Arel take a blood oath not to kill her fellow officer.
Arel and James Mitchell had a child in 2381, whom Arel named Korvin and took sole custody of.
In early 2382, an encounter with a machine in Atlantis turned Arel biologically into a Klingon. It was discovered that the device was a form of cosmetic surgery, transforming the user into their idealized self-image - in Arel's case, making her Klingon.
Arel has two very different personalities. To the world, she presents herself as serious, slightly arrogant, a bit humorless, and at times a bit unfriendly. But Arel's other side is capable of being sweet, funny, and even bookish. She'd rather break her own arm, though, then let anyone see that. The two constants that remain throughout are her steadfast devotion to her friends (once you're a friend, you're a friend for life) and a fierce stubborn streak.
Family:
Alena Smith, mother, deceased
Dr. Allen Smith, father,
Maj. Rena Starburst (Aurora Squadron)
Half-sister
Korvin Smith, Son
James Mitchell, sometimes on-again, off-again spouse/mate (Korvin's father)
Arel has two major scars, one across her stomach and one on her right shoulder blade. She also has the word 'courage' tattooed in Klingon on her lower back.
