Help for Contreras?

[Evarrice]

Hi! I want to do the Contrereas quest by siding with Contreras but the dialogue that enables it won't pop out!

I tried hacking his computer and initiating the dialogue with Lt. Boyd but all I got was nothing.

I can't question Contreras about his supplies! Any help? Console commands to initiate that dialogue option?

My Courier is lvl 21.

[Evarrice]

It's been 2 hours and no one here even know how to help me with this? Really? Really.

[Evarrice]

*sigh* I ended up selling him out to Boyd. I want him to keep him as a merchant.

Wish he got a replacement...

[Kalderus]

I found the optimal scenario to be not selling him out, but also not killing the ranger trying to bust him and instead passing the speech check to make Contreras an informant for the rangers. This way he stays around as a merchant but he also becomes legitimate and you don't have to murder anyone. He still gives you "This Machine " on completion.

[JDC UK]

It's one of the most broken, if not the most broken (side)quests in the game.

You can try and fix it with console commands like this
set "e7363".<var name> to #

Here's what the script says the values should be at each stage of the quest, but I can guarantee that what it says is completely different from what happens, especially for iSuppliesStatus, iSuppliesNCRAgentStatus, and iNCRAgent. I think they got the names mixed up several times in several places.

int iSupplyCheckOnce
; 1 = has looked at supplies available once

int iContrerasTurnIn
; 1 = player knows the packages are drugs
; 2 = player has knowledge that Contreras is a criminal
; 3 = player turned in Contreras (and he is now in jail)

int iContrerasComputer
; 1 = player has note

int iSuppliesStatus
; 1 = quest refused/delayed
; 2 = Gun Runners started
; 3 = Crimson Caravan started
; 4 = Drug Running started
; 5 = completed quest
; 6 = player told authorities about Contreras
; 7 = Contreras arrested
; 8 = Contreras hates player

int iGunRunnersMetal
; 1 = collecting metal
; 2 = done collecting metal
; 3 = returned to Contreras

int iMetalTotal
; # = total metal items turned in to Isaac.

int iMedicalSupplies
; 1 = Player told to find Blake at the Crimson Caravan
; 2 = Player has medical supplies
; 3 = Player has given medical supplies to Contreras

int iTimeA
; time checked when medical supplies turned in
int iTimeB
; time checked when the player returns to see if Contreras is ready to continue
int iTimeC
; difference in time. Use GameDaysPassed as the number to store to A & B, then B-A=C.

int iSuppliesNCRAgentStatus
; 1 = Agent persuaded
; 2 = Agent bribed (leaves)
; 3 = Agent killed
; 4 = Agent revealed his identity and let the player go.

int iNCRAgent
; 1 = spoken with once already.
; 2 = player given a choice to help Contreras
; 3 = player convinced Contreras to work with agent
; 4 = player decided to kill agent for Contreras
; 5 = agent is dead
; 6 = keller failed password and player immediately left.
; 7 = player went hostile against the ranger and is now KOS.