I looked over everything again, and along side a picture of a completed unit and I can't find where anything is wrong. I even removed and re-inserted the 556.
It works when 12vdc is used in the control circuit, and with 9vdc the pump goes to truly 100%.
Along with the retesting that went with this, I noticed that if the circuit is placed on 12volt control, pot tuned all the way down (0%) to the point where the pump does not spin, just make it's single phasing noise, when taking that control voltage off the pump would jump.
*Edit-- after reviewing the online PDF, it says the operating range is 5-16vdc, and in the paper that actually came with the kit 9-18vdc. Looks like they did a revision, and found that anything 9vdc and below won't cut it for the control circuit and that would explain the odd operation w/ the 9volt battery and when using a resistor to lower that voltage even more.
I bought the other circuit that has the 0-5v control modification included to now mess with, this thing will just make me shoot something.
I might end up buying this also--
**broken link removed**
Boncuk, my up-most thanks for all of your effort.