Maas did as he was told, though he would not have stayed anyway. In fact, had the Commander not insisted on doing this, they would likely have already been on their way to Redcliffe.

[i]It is no wonder we do not entertain those without the Qun,[/i] Maas thought to himself. [i]Their disorganization and lack of defined purpose is apparent. I sometimes wonder if leaving the Qun was the best choice for me.[/i] Regardless, Maas had chosen this life, and he did not regret a thing. As he returned to where Scout was standing over the unconscious Saarebas, he reached down and picked up his bag: a large backpack that was still dwarfed by his height, but served his needs appropriately. He slung it over his shoulder without a word and waited; he was ready to go.