Well I'd recommend NOT accidentally "bumping" the starter from now on what with a chip here or there all ready.
The lesson for me was: When your going to engage the starter, don't screw around with it. ENGAGE it, or not. If you release the key (or remote switch in my case), let the starter finish spinning down before you re-engage.
Both the starter drive and the ring gear had some teeth at full size, no chips. That leads me to believe it was in fact the "hammer impact" of an incomplete engagement that led to this failure.
Now comes the wait for the parts, I hate that. Well, put the lime in the coconut...