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!