Rani Sobeck

Rani Sobeck is a member of the Office of Naval Intelligence stationed in Boston and originally from Kentucky, of the former United States of America.

Background
A 22-year-old college student from Kentucky, Rani is incredibly bright and observant. Durga says she would be a good candidate for ONI, or as she calls them the brain ninjas, to use her brain as the basis for a smart AI.

While living in Boston, Professor Avi, her cultural anthropology professor, encourages her to apply at the Office of Naval Intelligence. Although she is accepted, she initially turns it down in favor of starting a business with her friend Trevor manufacturing cheap, disposable chatters for colonial refugees living on Earth. However, when it becomes clear that the business would never get on off the ground, she accepts the ONI job.

Shortly after beginning her new job Rani travels home to Kentucky for her cousin Sarah-John's wedding. It is here that she meets Nick and although they clash initially they soon reconcile their differences and begin a long-distance relationship.

While working as a low-clearance analyst for ONI Section One, Rani encounters a Bill of Laden (a civilian request for transfer of property from the UNSC) supposedly posted by an evacuee from the since-glassed colony of Troy. Determining that the record was fraudulent, Rani quickly discovers that it made reference to Marines, who had actually been stationed on the planet for a covert evacuation, but while Rani is in Kentucky her superior, Ms. Lawson, shuts down her investigation and warns her not to pursue it further. A week later, an ONI assassin is shot with a hard sound rifle while trying to kill her in her apartment. After the assassination attempt she is approached on a train by Colonel Herzog who reveals that it was his security detail who eliminated her would-be assassin. Herzog convinces her to begin spying for him in order to find out more about the mysterious artifact being held at Chawla Base. On that same train ride she is approached by an ODST named Joe who attempts to hit on her because he is newly single after his wife was killed in the Battle of Reach. Joe urges Rani not to waste her time being faithful to Nick, and tells her she should take what she can get before the Covenant come. Later, on another visit home to Kentucky, Rani realizes that the mysterious artifact is some kind of decay timer.

When Herzog is killed Rani continues investigating the artifact on Chawla Base until she is caught by Major Standish who temporarily convinces her that she had been misguided by Herzog's paranoid delusions. Shortly after she is approached by Jersey Morelli and Durga who attempt recruit her into a group of people that plan to break into Chawla Base. Although she initially reluctant, she agrees. The group is made up of, Janissary James, Jersey Morelli, Kamal Zaman, and Rani. They plan to break into the base and deactivate the Forerunner artifact, a device that they later find out would have activated all the Halos. In deactivating the device however, the group likely broadcast Earth's location to the Covenant.

Of the group that breaks into the base only Rani is captured. However, after the device is activated and the Melissa AI is reformed, Melissa, who felt that she let Rani down, uses her skills to make herself an identity as a lawyer which she used to release Rani, as well as Sophia and Aiden from jail.

Rani is last talked about when while on a train. She is approached by an ONI agent from Section Zero, who tries to recruit her. She decides she is in too far to back out, and accepts. They then hear the air-raid sirens announcing the coming Covenant invasion.

Trivia

 * Sobek, is also the name of an Egyptian god. This may be either ironic or purely coincidental, since Sobek is the god of crocodiles and it's doubtful the creators would name a timid character after such a deity.