That wouldn't do, where I'm from. Our ships are usually too big and complex to be kept running by any crew smaller than, I don't know... twenty or thirty people. Shuttles are another story, of course.

[ And he's only talking about Fleet vessels too. Plenty more out there that Jim hasn't really ever gotten his hands on. ]

Starfleet is a deep space exploratory and defense organization maintained by the United Federation of Planets. Its primary goal is to find new worlds and lifeforms, share knowledge and aim for peace and cooperation between the different races in our galaxy, and work together towards mutual cultural, technological and scientific advancements.

Basically, most our missions are focused on exploration. Each journey can last for months or even years, so you need a sizeable and very capable crew. I was about halfway through a five-year mission when I ended up here.