Yeah, I typo'd.
pages added to wp-admin typically are added as subpages, ie, like so:
.../wp-admin/options-general.php?page=thing.php
where thing.php is the added plugin page, and options-general.php is the parent page.
My variables are action=some AND thing=5 and I need those to be sent to this.php which is a child of a regular admin page.
The url ends up being like this:
...wp-admin/parent.php?page=child.php?action=somet&thing=1
but hmm.. the second question mark .. I just read that. :)
Lets go see :)
--
that was it, thank you Otto! Ive been working on this thing for way too long.