Ok, is that me stuck for good, or is there a solution?

TLDR I've lost my tadpole, not sure where to find silver over this way. Not enough air.

So I'm in the Alien Ruins bit now. I'd been in here pottering about so long without interference from a leviathan so I didn't know it would be an issue. I was mining some celestiwhatever, and reached the red false barrier that says this part's still being built, progress at your own risk.
I suddenly heard the leviathan music so swam off and round the side of the alien tower. Phew. dodged it. I looked out though and saw it grab my tadpole and frickin take it with it.

I tried to get to the tadpole but it's just too far in. As I get close the leviathan just comes and grabs me.

So now I have my new based (right by the first lil abandoned base in Alien Ruins), only a standard air tank, and no improved fins yet. I have about 70 seconds to potter about.

This is what it seems like my options probably are:

- keep building mini bases with a power source so I can get air and desperately search for silver. super time consuming

- I'm assuming the refund base option will allow me to (sadly) obliterate the one I'm nowhere near and ge the materials, but what about the stuff in storage?

any advice I'd be truly grateful for.

I'm loving this game, but the leviathan has me whimpering.