Simple closed curves, finite covers of surfaces, and power subgroups of Out(F_n)

We construct examples of finite covers of punctured surfaces where the first rational homology is not spanned by lifts of simple closed curves. More generally, for any set $\mathcal{O} \subset F_n$ which is contained in the union of finitely many $Aut(F_n)$-orbits, we construct finite-index normal subgroups of $F_n$ whose first rational homology is not spanned by powers of elements of $\mathcal{O}$. These examples answer questions of Farb-Hensel, Kent, Looijenga, and Marche. We also show that the quotient of $Out(F_n)$ by the subgroup generated by kth powers of transvections often contains infinite order elements, strengthening a result of Bridson-Vogtmann saying that it is often infinite. Finally, for any set $\mathcal{O} \subset F_n$ which is contained in the union of finitely many $Aut(F_n)$-orbits, we construct integral linear representations of free groups that have infinite image and map all elements of $\mathcal{O}$ to torsion elements.