For anybody reading / following this a quick update:
I was in contact with quasimodo via PM. The company he works for in FL has busted through my password. For under $400. So, while it's an expensive lesson learned about making sure backups are kept current, it's not as outrageously ridiculous as the over $2k that the other company wanted. (And, last gripe/swipe: they charged me $25 for return shipping, as opposed to $15 from the company I ultimately went with. Hosers.)

~me signing out. consider this discussion closed....