The real issue is, even if there is intelligent life^* in this universe, what are the chances of us ever meeting them? After all, "the universe is a really big place".

In our galaxy alone, literally millions of vast space empires could evolve, decline, and die, without ever meeting each other, thanks to that irritating little thing called relativity, and it's "you can't beat C" consequence.


^*(Earth doesn't count, we're not really intelligent, we're just over-evolved monkeys. )