i barely remember this episode. Apparently, the 15,000+ colonists were evacuated.
How, exactly? Did they all cram onto the E-D (or suspend in the transporter!) or were we left to assume that transport ships would be along to aide in the evac process??
I assume the latter, given all their personables that they needed to bring along
There were transport ships on the way to carry out the evacuation, but they weren't going to be there for three weeks. This was the point of Picard having to find a way to stall the Sheliaks.
Which he did after putting a legal smackdown on their asses, when he found that loophole.