Jack Skillingstead's "Scrawl Daddy": Figuring out alien space travel technology

This is an extremely contrived urban ghetto story of an evil scientist, helped by an evil government, to make life miserable for innocent humans used a guinea pigs in dangerous experiments without their consent.

Story summary.

One fine day, an alien falls from the sky! Scientists confirm this after examining the remains. In due course, we learn of an alien space travel "portal" that opens a kilometer above earth's surface somewhere! Only, it's one way - you can come in, but not go out via this door. Our brilliant scientists also figure out, starting from the fallen alien, the location of his home world - "in a region of space occupied by the double star Albireo", also known as "Beta Cygni"!!!

Humans also have a similar space travel technology - Tachyon Funnel Acceleration (TFA) - only it is inferior. They want to learn the alien technology, but how to go to alien world?

There is also a rub in that TFA travel involves accelerations too strong for anything living. This issue is ultimately resolved by "lead lined titanium baffles" as if covering in a strong material will reduce acceleration felt! But that is only one of the minor technical points you are expected to ignore.

Enter David Statama, the evil scientist. He works in genetics, & has figured a way to make animals age faster than normal. I could not quite figure out how this faster aging helped travel to alien world, but it is used in the story.

Evil scientist, with help from evil government, takes charge of 3 innocent orphans - Barney Huff, Faye Rutherford, & Joe Null. He will harvest their cells & clone them. He will put them in a mechanical nursery tended by robots where the clones will grow. They will also be taught all they need to know by directly feeding the knowledge into their brains! And they will be made to age faster - don't ask me why! They will be put in this magical box that will be thrown down the TFA towards the alien world. They are still cells when they leave earth - they will grow into an embryo & mature during their lonely journey. Three clones will be launched at an year's interval.

There is another piece. Embryo's brain is telepathically linked to original at earth! So whatever the clone learns can be learned on earth.

Only as the lonely embryos grow, they panic - sending the panic back to originals, ensuring they end up in a lunatic asylum!

Eventually, Joe will successfully discover his fate & escape with the help of Anthea, his lady love. Faye will attempt freedom, but will be caught by evil scientist.

There are many other magical technologies, among them the stuff for high tech graffiti - an art where Joe excels. Story title comes from this graffiti business.

Fact sheet.

"Scrawl Daddy", short story, review
First published: Asimov's Science Fiction, June 2007.
Rating: C