About half a million years before the 23rd century, a war devastated the world of Sargon's people, leaving only three minds preserved in spheres beneath the surface.
Sargon's people were an advanced telepathic civilisation that spread across space, and Sargon believed they may have colonised other worlds, perhaps even Vulcan, in ancient times. Their great powers did not prevent a catastrophic war that destroyed their planet's surface and atmosphere. Sargon, his wife Thalassa and their enemy Henoch survived only as minds stored in receptacles deep underground.
In 2268 the Enterprise answered their call. Sargon hoped to borrow human bodies to build android hosts, but Henoch tried to keep Spock's body for himself, and Sargon and Thalassa finally chose to depart into oblivion together.