The open pleasure was matched in part on the other side of the table, most of the Autobots pleased to see it resolved so quickly. Optimus looked almost politely smug...though the ambassador's words quickly drew up a number of sudden, confused stares.

"Of course-"

Mirage paused, helm tilting. Optimus pinged him with a wordless query as a faint warning and old, half-forgotten rites involving sparkmates crackled up from his oldest memory banks.

"...I apologize. We might be encountering our first of hopefully few cultural differences," Mirage said, hands splaying out with a grin and apologetic chuckle, carefully attempting to diffuse any possible tension.

"My, ah, sparkmate will be coming along?"