In 2257 a massive, dying sphere seized the USS Discovery and filled its computer with an archive of knowledge spanning many thousands of years.
The sphere was an ancient living entity nearing the end of its life. It held Discovery in place and transferred its accumulated data into the ship's systems so that its memories would not be lost, a process that at first seemed like an attack.
During the encounter Saru fell ill and believed he was about to die. Once the transfer was complete, the sphere died peacefully. The data later became the prize the rogue artificial intelligence Control sought, making it a central part of the Red Angel crisis.