A fleet of roughly 40,000 to 50,000 people is not excessive once every ship must supply services that a planet or naval base once provided. Apparently idle passengers would quickly be assigned work because ships are failing and specialist systems need operators. The fleet is simultaneously its population, industrial base, and entire logistical train. Survival therefore depends on training civilians for useful roles rather than treating them as passengers receiving a free ride.
Notable Point · 7:10-8:13
Every refugee becomes part of the logistical workforce
Keeping the ships alive requires turning a displaced civilian population into a trained labor pool for maintenance, supply, and infrastructure work.