Rod Kimball is an artificial life-form Boomer serving on the Branch special task force for the A.D. Police. Though regulations deny non-humans official rank, his colleagues accord him status equivalent to a Sergeant. He partners with Basil "Buzz" Nikvest in Branch operations, focusing on crimes involving Boomers as perpetrators or victims.

Rod Kimball exhibits sharp observational skills, detecting Reiko Michaelson’s romantic interest in Buzz. His artificial perspective aids criminal psychology analysis, particularly for Boomer behavioral cases. During Branch’s probe into drug-linked rogue Boomer incidents, he physically shields Buzz from an assailant.

Investigating murdered Boomer sex workers, Rod Kimball voices unease when sex industry workers view him as a mere tool. He later joins the mission to locate missing Chief Takahashi. While transporting Michaelson, their vehicle is ambushed by an assassination squad deploying a helicopter. Rod Kimball intercepts an incoming missile to protect Michaelson, sustaining fatal damage in the explosion.

Throughout his service, Rod Kimball insists he possesses no soul or human traits. Yet his actions, bonds, and psychological insights consistently reveal complex human-like attributes and ethical depth. His arc culminates in this self-sacrifice, removing all barriers between the missile and his human partner.