Most advanced, spacefaring races in the Galaxy followed two schools of thought. The first and most prevalent group was the Universalists. They believed that the Universe itself was a living being, an organism comprised of all matter, both visible and invisible. Sentient beings were the Universe’s attempt to understand itself. Therefore, for the Universalists, creating or nurturing any sentient life was of huge importance. Acts of genocide were not tolerated by followers of Universalism, and in most cases, the perpetrators themselves met the same end, having been judged too dangerous to exist alongside other sentient life. There was no “church” of Universalism, or priesthood; the closest one could get to an actual organization were local Congregations of scientists – mainly xeno-geneticists and biologists. When a genocide was perpetrated, or there was danger of such an act, those Congregations would locate the best possible like-minded mercs, or a corporation Fleet or Army. Those were paid handsomely to “deal” with the genocidal criminals, in a manner most akin to ancient Earth’s religious wars.