I eventually got it working, but I had to have the same conversation with the person on the left multiple times until it eventually triggered the blonde girl.
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Yes a new save for 0.54. I also appear to be stuck again although it could be that I just reached the end of the current version. I can't figure out how to start the last available main quest. I also think Barrel's side quest might be stuck again because there is still a question mark for a side quest and barrel is the only one not showing up in the journal. The last thing I did with her was getting the crystals to block OSCE.