Nico wrote:
And I've always thought it odd that Avon allowed Tarrant to take charge.<
It's my theory that he intended Tarrant to run the ship, leaving him (Avon) free to pursue his own interests. Of course this scheme backfires when Tarrant develops a tendency to get the ship into danger :-)
(In case anyone is interested, I've written an essay on that topic, which can be found on Judith's website. Comments are wellcome.)
Marian