Where do deleted projects end up? PLEASE tell me that they are recoverable!

Question

I just deleted an untitled project from Aperture 2.1 which contained 1700 duplicate images that another named project contained.
Deleting the untitled project ALSO deleted my named project along with ALL of my images, all of my edited images that I just spent a week editing. My named project is still in the contents of my Aperture library, but is empty except for two files - Album.implicitAlbum and Info.apfolder
Where do deleted projects end up? Someone please tell me that I am not screwed here.

Answer 1

I agree that backups are necessary, however there is a big difference in work flow between writers and photographers.
Writers (writing novels) usually aren't under as tight a deadline as photographers. I have to have my edited images uploaded to the wire service within a very short time after shooting them. Taking an hour or more to backup a 3TB Aperture library to a vault isn't an option until the images are edited and sent out whereas saving a text document takes no time. Maybe I need several smaller libraries but until Apple makes it easier to switch between libraries on the fly that is going to have to wait.
What I am trying to get an answer to is why this "untitled project", which was apparently created after my original titled project, (the images within were rated and edited just like the project I was working in), blew away my masters in the titled project when the untitled project was deleted. I didn't import them to the "untitled project". I didn't copy them to the "untitled project". I wasn't aware that the "untitled project" existed until I saw it and deleted it.
Additionally, where did the files go? They are not in the trash, there is no Aperture directory in the trash as has been the case in the past, and there is no sign of them anywhere.
Anyone?