First off sorry if this is the wrong forum. I personally list questions under general so feel free to move it to the correct location.

Okay so Lt. Boyd is dead, Isaac is dead. Everyone else involving this unmarked quest is still alive. I have tried to talk to Contreras, but all I can do is trade with him. I have done the quest and obtained the gun on a different character and I know how to start it. So is there no way for me to start this quest, or obtain this gun? Also why can't This Machine be in a Very Hard locked chest just as a precaution to this happening. Or in a single room that can only be opened by hacking a Very Hard terminal, then picking a Very Hard lock. Obviously you would get the password and key if you finish the quest by helping Contreras, if you help Lt. Boyd she would still give it to you.

Okay some of that may have been dumb, but still I wish I could get This Machine on my main character to add to my Unique Weapons Trunk. I'm also on the Xbox 360 so I can't use console commands :sadvaultboy:

You can do the quest without ever meeting Lt. Boyd. Talk to him to barter, say "what supplies do you have in mind?", pay him some caps and the quest starts. I think the only way to beat the quest is to kill the Ranger, because if I do anything else I don't get the rifle.

I can't blame you for wanting it so bad. It's like a hunting rifle on crack.

i think you're SOL?

I know you can do it without meeting Boyd, but I think because Isaac is dead I can't start the quest. Want To Buy gameplay option to reset some quest npcs( on the xbox 360 ). And yeah moondog I do believe I'm SOL.

Check Isaac's house,
If I may ask why is Boyd dead?

Yea I checked Isaac's house. I found his body on the ground and his head on the table. Boyd is dead because my main was my first Yes Man character, so I murdered everyone on all sides.

Anyone else have something to add to this, or am I truly SOL?