With the cold weather, the sound was much more amplified during an overnight, outdoor start.
The PS belt was tensioned too tightly -- since the sound was present when back at home, it could be pinpointed. In a quick 5-minute adjustment, the PS belt was loosened.
At first, it seemed to be coming from the pump pulley, and not anything lower. initially, it sounded like it was coming from high and behind the timing belt cover -- which was concerning, until I loosened the belt.
3 separate starts (colder than when arrived), full electrical load + A/C, and wheel turns lock-to-lock resulted in no more of that metal-to-metal whine/screech.
Crisis Averted.
RH77