under a layer of polite inquisitiveness he packed that single syllable with a mountain of disdain for everything i had ever done or could possible hope to do , but i had survived drill sergeants in the army , and this guy did n't have the backing of the roman army behind him , so his effort had as much effect on me as rain on the ocean , and just to show him how devastated his opinion left me , i grinned broadly at him and said in an overloud voice , `` i 'm here to investigate the disappearance of aldwin nahasa .