For someone who embodied the military, Ryan was quite the pacifist. He really did believe that his purpose was to protect, not to go out and actively destroy. Sometimes protecting and serving meant seeking and destroying, and politicians in particular liked to pre-empt. Politicians would do what politicians generally did when they had some form of power, and it was inevitable, but he lived by ideals that weren't defined as much by politicians as what he had been founded on.
When he first thought of seeking out the culprit of the irregular electric activity, he didn't think it was necessary to use brute force or try to subjugate anyone or anything.
It was clear, however, that despite his intentions... well, ideals might be ideal, but situations rarely were.
"...he doesn't look like he's in the mood to talk."