No matter how Agent Coulson resolved the internal conflicts, S.H.I.E.L.D. only needed to remain barely functional. After completing a month of training, they would return to Earth and continue their previous assignments. At the same time, Agent Coulson had to placate the new director of New S.H.I.E.L.D. appointed by the US Congress and help Latveria keep critical information about the Space Station from Congress or the CIA. Although Agent Coulson explained that he was not a spy and would not assist the Emperor with tasks such as stealing the CIA's list of agents in Eastern Europe, there were still things he had no choice but to do, aside from directly participating in the intelligence wars between nations.
Feeble explanations could not stop events from unfolding, just as countless previous excuses and refusals had failed to do so.
Congress wanted S.H.I.E.L.D. back only because it wanted the Vibranium storage device full of secrets and the assets S.H.I.E.L.D. had left behind. Only the Emperor wanted nothing, asking only that S.H.I.E.L.D. remain faithful to its duties. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s duty was to keep all dangers away from human society, and that was the Emperor's sole requirement. If S.H.I.E.L.D. still refused to fulfill its duty, it would become a complete liability, and the Emperor would no longer offer it any protection.
When Agent Coulson asked what protection the Emperor had provided, he unsurprisingly received no answer. Clearly, it was beyond his intelligence clearance. He was then ruthlessly thrown out of the office, leaving as he always did, with a handful of answers and even more questions. Danger was quietly approaching. Having foreseen its footsteps, the Emperor was busy setting traps, arranging surveillance, luring enemies in, and preparing ambushes. He had no time to waste on S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson could only try to soothe his companions' minds