Aside from the questions I just asked, I'm pissed as Hell!
I just saved by the elevator, right before the five minute countdown. Whats-his-face releases the big blue dude, then I realize...I don't have the armament to fight him! I left my grenade launcher in the storage locker.
So I figure...no big deal, I can just hop over real quick and get it, right? Ha, nope! "You must escape quickly." So I'm screwed. And since I only had a couple placed to save on the VMU, I saved over the same spot over and over. I have to do it all over again! And I was so careful!