"There are places out there where no-one's been for hundreds of years. There are echoes of ancient voices. I want to hear what they have to say."

Born on Elboreth and orphaned at a young age, Aliya grew up in The Grey Ladies' Orphanage until she was brought to Iox by Myari when she was 15. She fears that she will never be fully accepted as Ioxian or Elborethian. She is an archaeologist and antiquities trader by profession, and an avid sailor of the Nebula on her vessel, the Nightingale. Shortly before her 33rd birthday, Myari asks her help in locating Janniqi Renba, a roboticist who went missing almost a month earlier after sending her an ancient jeweled brooch. Myari seems to believe that Aliya's interest in and understanding of the lost language known as "Ancient" will be helpful.