I've tucked my companion up in my room in Freeside, stripped my belongings to 75 lbs, but Jed Masterson still keeps telling me I've got to get rid of my partner. I tried going to the "Journey to Zion" entrance at the end of the passage but got a message that I have to go with the caravan the first time. Catch-22. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Go to the gun runners, it has a terminal on the vendortron kiosk for just these situations. (It is literally the companion dismissal terminal)