@timixretroplays I was looking all over the place for the dumb thing and absolutely dreading having to fight with it instead of being able to just restore a known good state when I decided it was absolutely time for a break from all that.
I left and went to Denny's. The restroom mirror there answered all:
I had clipped the Jumpdrive to my collar and immediately forgotten about it.
There's something to be said about proper backup practices here, and whatever it is, it is very silly.