In an agreement that was signed on the 28th of September, The Volition Cult [VOLT] had agreed to concede the JZV-O6 constellation in the Catch region to League of Unaligned Master Pilots [LUMPY], bringing 5 long weeks of war to an end and capitulating before the invading force.

Negotiations between the two sides have remained under wraps, starting only 2 days ago in the wake of more bitter fighting over the area. Stain Wagon (SW) coalition, which maintains interests in the region, was party to these discussions. However, Providence Bloc,a long time ally of The Volition Cult, was unaware talks were even taking place nor that an agreement had been reached.

The treaty itself was worked out between the three sides verbally and EVE News 24 was able to confirm the following details:

1) The JZV-O6 constellation, which League of Unaligned Master Pilots had coveted and attempted to seize, will be handed over to it.

2) No standings will be set between both alliances and they will remain hostile to each other

3) No further attacks will be made against sovereignty structures and infrastructure, putting an effective Non Invasion Pact (NIP) in place between The Volition Cult and League of Unaligned Master Pilots.

4) The F4R2-Q system, which was used as The Volition Cult’s secondary staging, will remain in it’s hands.

It is yet to be seen what The Volition Cult will be gaining from this agreement, though rumors abound. One persistent rumor is that SW will be compensating The Volition Cult for its loss of territory with several systems in the Catch region under its control. Another rumor talks about ISK payment to be made by League of Unaligned Master Pilots to compensate The Volition Cult. While the first rumor is yet to be confirmed, the second one has been flatly denied by League of Unaligned Master Pilots’ diplomats.

The first inkling that an agreement between the two sides had been reached surfaced in the early hours of the 29th of September, when an alliance wide mail was sent to members of The Volition Cult by corebloodbrothers. The mail itself seemed more a summary of the campaign, and included very little information on what was going on, only mentioning talks had taken place and that standings would not be changed. The mail went on to thank SW for its help during the conflict and negotiations, and for looking out for the interests of the alliance. The mail also went on to promise that an official statement would be given later that day at 20:30 EVE Standard Time.

Whether or not The Volition Cult’s leadership thought it could keep the agreement secret until the time of the official announcement, its existence and content had already leaked. When asked for a comment about the agreement, members of Providence Bloc’s leadership were mainly surprised by its existence, though they did not seem shocked.

Providence Bloc had supported The Volition Cult throughout the campaign, helping it to defend its sovereignty. Yet it seems it was not alerted to the existence or the conclusion of the peace talks by The Volition Cult itself, remaining oblivious to it before being approached by EVE News 24. This has been seen by some in Providence Bloc as another slight by The Volition Cult against its former coalition, one in a long series that has soured the relationship between the once close allies.

The immediate outcome of the treaty will most likely result in freeing The Volition Cult to aid Providence Bloc in its defense against the recent incursion made by Triumvirate. [TRI] forces to the area. For SW, it frees its forces to focus on other areas of Catch that are besieged by other dispossessed alliance from the Delve region. As for League of Unaligned Master Pilots, the new constellation will be able to provide it with a temporary sanctuary where it can replenish its coffers following the long campaign. It also gives Providence Bloc the ability to concentrate on its own defense.

In the long term though, things do not seem so rosy, as this adds another point of tension to the already numerous ones existing between Providence Bloc and The Volition Cult. Whether or not it will be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back, is yet to be seen. What is certain, is that the Catch region continues to supply headlines.

Salivan Harddin is a member of V0LTA, WE FORM V0LTA, and covers battles across New Eden