And for the quest where you explore the wasteland, hmm... You still need to do something about finding the G.E.C.K. don't you? As I think "the Plot Thickens" is your equivalent of "The American Dream".
Maybe you could place a G.E.C.K. somewhere? Maybe a raider/slaver found it, you kill them, find note on body, turns out they sold it to a trader. Talk to trader, maybe he lost it. He tells you roughly where it was, and it turns out some Super Mutants have found it and you need to break in to one of their hideouts and get?
Sorry if that isn't understandable.