As interstellar trade and travel flourished under the UGC, criminal networks began exploiting safe routes and borders between empires. Piracy, smuggling, rogue mages, and fugitives fleeing across territorial lines surged. In response, the Merchants Guild financed the effort, built the early enforcement infrastructure, and formally proposed the Galactic Extradition Accords, the fourth of the Galactic Accords. With these foundations in place, the independent Bounty Hunters Guild was established as a neutral enforcement body empowered to pursue and apprehend wanted individuals across factional borders.
