Why is everyone using percentages when describing suitability?

The only percentage I see is for QUALITY.

Suitability just has a number like +23

You're confusing the hell out of me.

Encounter a refugee fleet. Text says:

"If we want to absorb these refugees into our empire and claim their ships then we should move towards their fleet."

Move WHAT towards their fleet? The exploration ship that found them is already there. I'm not sure what it is asking me to do.

I've had a construction ship, on auto, trying to pick up a computer core for almost 10 years

Is a 5 ship fleet any more effective than 5 single ships in combat?

I'm having a terrible time with fleets. I'd like have my Escorts in a fleet but then also have them automated to escort ships when they don't have any other fleet command but putting them in a fleet means they just sit there doing ...