I'm reasonably sure that the "filler" was the space battle at the beginning and the pirate battle. The meat of the story is slice of life and Ledo's integration into non-military life.
It still bothers me that they are able to obtain luxury items like sunscreen. Are they mining minerals from the ocean floor, or just salvaging? Swimsuits don't bother me because cool clothing that dries quickly are obviously vital for life on the fleet. I keep thinking this series should be less like pacific atoll life and more like Waterworld.