Masham

Masham is the capital of Diracta, the Sirian home planet, and James Mowry’s birthplace. Its significance in the novel is both geographic and practical: Mowry’s upbringing there left him with a Mashambi accent that supports his later impersonation of a Sirian.

Setting and Identity

Masham is identified as the capital city of Diracta, which is described as the Sirian home planet. The available account places the city within the setting through its political and planetary status rather than through a physical description of its streets, landscape, or institutions.

Connection to James Mowry

Mowry was born in Masham while his father was a trader there. He lived on Diracta until he was seventeen, when he returned to Terra with his parents. His childhood in the Sirian home world thus forms part of his personal history even after his move to Terra.

The Mashambi Accent

Mowry’s speech retains a distinct Mashambi accent, and he speaks perfect Sirian. The accent is presented as an advantage in the assignment under discussion: it lends plausibility to his assumed identity. Its usefulness is reinforced by the statement that about fifty million Sirians speak with Mashambi accents, making it a recognizable regional feature rather than an implausible personal affectation.