Mala's parents, Eric and Kayana Hendriksson, were killed in a mountain climbing accident while on a "second honeymoon" vacation in 2367. Her father, Eric, an island tour guide and mountain-climbing/sailing/surfing enthusiast, migrated to Hawai'i in his early twenties. He liked primitive style adventure, often disdaining modern safeguards, desiring to immerse himself in the island experience as the ancients lived it. The decision the two of them made for this type of climb led to their deaths.
    Mala's mother, Kayana, descended from ancient Hawaiian lineage, was the great-grand-niece of a respected kahuna (Hawaiian shaman). Kayana and her sister Lara jointly inherited their parents' Maui estate, which included an ancestral home and sugar plantation. Both graduated from Pacific Contemporary University with excellent grades, particularly in science and math. Lara went into doctoral and post-doctoral studies. Kayana, to Lara's displeasure, left the educational life to marry Eric, and worked only occasionally as a substitute teacher.
    After her parents' deaths, Lara raised Mala. Lara developed an intense interest in researching nano and quantum applications in cybernetics. As her research, combining the two, was considered too esoteric to be practical, she was unable to obtain support and acceptance from the scientific establishment. This led her to withdraw, becoming almost reclusive. Eventually she sold most of her estate, keeping only the house–part of which she turned into a research lab.
    Mala herself showed interest and aptitude in mathematics, and in the cybernetic sciences–learning more from her aunt, than in conventional education. She agreed, in 2375, to receive an experimental implant of a nano-cybernetic neural net. This gave her direct interface ability with computer systems, via physical contact. The neural net extended through her finger-tips. The experimental nature of her cybernetics created linkage by means of quantum particles–always present, beneath the more mundane levels of reality.
    Though Mala retained an interest in pure research, she became restless, and began experimenting with ways to use her new abilities. She learned to pilot aircraft and used part of her own inheritance to buy an antique plane, with which she became an expert in flying and performing aerial stunts. This type of "air show" was regaining popularity at the time, and Mala eventually joined a group of pilots who traveled a circuit of shows throughout Hawai'i and North America. Her new interests appalled Lara, who saw in Mala's stunt-flying the type of adventurousness akin to Eric's. Lara urged her to return and help in her research, or to enroll in university. Mala refused and had a serious falling-out with her aunt, leaving home and not returning for several months. During this time, Mala grew adept at using her cybernetics to interface with the aircraft she flew, as well as hiding her ability from other pilots. But she also grew bored, and realized that her present lifestyle wasn't what she wanted.
    Returning home, she was horrified to learn that her aunt had been murdered. The murderer was never found, and no motive was apparent. Mala believed the murder had to do with Lara's research. When she used her cybernetics to access her aunt's files, she found nothing–all records of the research had been deleted. Mala never knew if the research was stolen, or if her aunt had known she was in danger and deleted the files herself before her death. Mala revealed none of her suspicions to the authorities, not wanting anyone to know of her own part in the experimentation–especially considering public sentiment towards the Borg. Mala felt she herself could be in danger if anyone learned of her implant. Not long after her aunt's death, Mala decided to join Starfleet, where she hoped to use her cybernetics and love of piloting to create an adventurous and hopefully worthwhile life for herself.
    After graduating from Starfleet Academy with a major in flight control, Mala was assigned to a special Starfleet Intelligence unit on a starbase devoted to scientific research. She spent three years there, while her augmentation was studied and documented by intel officers and scientists, though they proved unable to duplicate Lara's work. At the same time, Mala contributed to the work of the unit by devoting her abilities to cryptology projects. But she was determined to make a career as a pilot, and after repeated requests for transfer, she was at last assigned as Assistant Conn Officer aboard the USS Ponce De Leon, where she served for the next three years. During her last year she became Chief Conn Officer. She later requested a transfer to the UFS Arcadia, after taking special courses in slipstream drive navigation, and was assigned as Chief Flight Controller.