The point is we don't know. We can re-engineer the universe back to a certain point and then have to say "I don't know what this is, how it got here or how it works". Science has answered miriads of questions only to uncover others. Like the ones you have asked...
When we started our thread my purpose was never to dispute scientific facts. I am testing the logic of the theory. My thought in regards to the origin of the universe is the theories backs into unprovable assumptions.
I have posed similar questions to creationists and they go back as far back as a Being with no beginning, no end, all powerful, etc... with no other explanation.
Both positions appear to build on or back into unapprovable assumptions. I'm in the "I don't know, but let's research it camp", but I can't tell someone this is how it happened when there are so many unknowns.
Still reading through the links...