Didnt change the filter this time as this was changed the last time the transmission was done, sometime January, at that time clutch pressure plate (not sure this was the part) and 2nd gear plate changed. Hindsight is 20-20 as they say.
Just came back from the shop, saw the tranny innards and there were shattered parts, the clutch something-something housing and the pump were some the mechanic pointed out. What fluid I saw was brown in color, beside the point, though.
He recommended that I just plunk in a surplus tranny from Japan, instead of springing for the rebuild kit and other tranny parts. Figure on spending close to a thousand dollars for the surplus tranny and labor, would be spending almost twice that if I buy brand new parts, rebuild kit and labor.
Oh well, thanks for the inputs guys.