Wendy wrote re Avon wanting the Liberator:

I can hear you saying right now, "Oh, that doesn't mean he wants to be a leader, just that he wants the ship." OK, so how does he expect to

run a big ship like that all on his lonesome<

In Horizon it is stated that he can handle the ship with the help of the computers, provided he keeps out of the way of Federation craft.

(and Vila in Star One makes it clear that the crew are part of the bargain

struck), and why, when Blake is finally gone, doesn't he just let Captain Tarrant take charge and either go off to do his own thing or stuck around and baited him from the sidelines?<

That's exactly what he did after they stopped searching for Blake in Volcano. At the start of Dawn of the Gods Tarrant is at Liberator's helm while Avon is playing galactic monopoly with the rest of the crew. He steps in when it's clear that Tarrant is at a loss about the mysterious course changes, but looks rather annoyed for having to abandon the game. :-)

In Harvest of Kairos Avon leaves command of Liberator entirely to Tarrant, even to the point of not interfering during the space battle. IMHO he was testing Tarrant there, and it isn't his fault that Tarrant failed the test.

In City Avon has left the negotiations to acquire those crystals to Tarrant, which to me looks like another test. But again, Tarrant doesn't deliver, landing them with no Vila and no crystals. IMO Avon may be excused for deciding that Tarrant isn't up to the task.

Even after this Avon remains reluctant to take up the leadership role, leaving as much of the decision making and initiatives as he can to the others. To me this indicates that he'd prefer to leave the command of Liberator to Tarrant or any other of the crew, and is only taking up the task - against his will - when none of them proves up to the job.

Marian