Inayas Prilev was born on the frozen moon of Andor in 2346. One of her mothers was a major political figure in their keth, the other an artist who engraved ushaan-tor. However the most important influence in Inayas' early life were her fathers. They were both archaeologists who conducted research of Andorian historical sites on Andor's surface and its deep caves in hopes of discovering sites related to the origins of the Andorian / Aenar split.

Although Andorian history facinated Inayas, it was the process of exploration that inspired her most. In her teens she began accompanying her fathers on their expeditions, becoming an accomplished mountaineer and spelunker in the process. It was here Inayas learned to temper her brash wanderlust and sense of adventure with a healthy respect for the dangers of exploration.

At the age of seventeen Inayas applied to Starfleet Academy and was accepted. As in her youth, Inayas' interest in exploration was mostly in the process rather than any particular field of study, so she opted for an Operations Major and threw herself into Starship Systems Engineering. Her previous devotion to the minutia of ice picks, ropes, and other climbing equipment served her well as she began a meticulous study of the ultimate tool for exploration: the starship.

Inayas was a dedicated student, but her time at the Academy was not without its problems. To begin with, living with a human roommate was jarring for an Andorian used to living in close quarters with others of her kind. To compensate Inayas became an active member of the Andorian Student Union, and helped organize mountain climbing trips in the Rocky Mountains. This focus on some of the Academy's social aspects likely negatively affected Inaya's grades, but she still graduated with high marks and had the good fortune to be assigned to the USS Eagle.

Following her commissioning, Ensign Prilev assumed her duties as an Operations Officer aboard the USS Eagle with great enthusiasm. The assignment was a perfect synthesis of her desire to explore the stars and her instinct to remain close to her own kind. Inayas served two years aboard the Eagle before earning her promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade. Her appointment to Assistant Chief of Operations proved timely, and Inayas had the opportunity to exercise her skills during a border dispute between Federation colonists and The Ferengi. Inayas helped organize diplomatic meetings aboard the Eagle, as well as supervising elements of colonist relocation efforts. It was also around this time that Inayas met Shavg Ghornei and Hamu Jaylur, an Andorian couple who joined the crew of the Eagle and developed a profound attachment to Inayas. It was hoped that if Inayas could find a suitable husband soon that the four could be joined into a traditional quad.

Inayas encountered only frustration in her search for a mate however, and upon promotion to Lieutenant Inayas was faced with a difficult decision. All of Starfleet's Andorian vessels possessed qualified Assistant Chief Operations Officers, and serving aboard starbase did not appeal to her adventurous instincts. After much deliberation Inayas opted for fleetwide assignment, and was assigned as Assistant Chief of Operations to the USS Archimedes.