The Bat Maker materialized in the crystalline streets of Kandor, Krypton's capital city. Towering spires of gleaming metal and crystal conduits stretched toward the red sun above. He adjusted his jacket and took in the sight of this universe's intact Krypton—a technological marvel that had never suffered destruction.

  *Now to find those CPU chips,* he thought, scanning the bustling streets. *Time to figure out how to break into whatever high-security facility manufactures them.*

  As he walked through the city pnning his approach, two Kryptonian teenagers passed by, deep in animated conversation.

  "Did you see the specs on the new Brainiac XK-7 processor?" one said excitedly.

  "Quantum-tunneling architecture with multi-phasing processing cores," the other replied. "Twelve teraflops of computational power in a chip the size of your thumbnail. My artificial intelligence project is going to be incredible."

  The Bat Maker stopped dead in his tracks. *Brainiac chips? That's exactly what I need for my project.* He followed the teenagers at a distance, listening intently.

  "Where did you get yours?" the first one asked.

  "Kor-Tech Electronics on Fifth Street. They had a whole dispy of them. Pretty affordable too—only about two hundred credits each."

  *Two hundred credits? It's a commercial product?* The Bat Maker shook his head in amazement. *I don't need to break into any sophisticated government b. I just need money.*

  The problem was, he didn't have any Kryptonian currency.

  He wandered the streets for several minutes, considering his options. As he turned a corner, an elderly Kryptonian woman walked past him, her purse slung over her shoulder.

  The Bat Maker looked around the street, took a deep breath, and felt a wave of shame wash over him. *I can't do that. She's an old dy. I feel like crap just thinking about it.*

  He continued walking, frustrated with his moral dilemma, when he spotted a sign in a shop window: "Help Wanted - Day Worker Needed - Immediate Pay."

  *Well, there's another option.*

  The Bat Maker walked into the small establishment and approached the owner. "I saw your help wanted sign."

  "Perfect timing! I need someone to help move inventory in the back for the day. Pay is three hundred credits."

  *Exactly what I need,* he thought.

  The Bat Maker spent the entire day lifting boxes, organizing shelves, and doing manual bor. His back ached, his hands were sore, but by evening he had earned his three hundred credits - enough for at least one processor, maybe more depending on what other deals he could find.

  *Honest work,* he thought, pocketing his pay. The store was filled with technology that would be considered miraculous in most universes, all dispyed as common consumer goods.

  "Can I help you, citizen?" asked a friendly Kryptonian clerk behind the counter.

  "Yes, I need Brainiac XK-7 processors. How many can I get for three hundred credits?"

  "At two hundred each, you can afford one processor with change left over."

  "I'll take one then."

  The clerk packaged one of the most sophisticated computer processors in the known multiverse and handed it over with a smile along with his change.

  "Thank you for shopping at Kor-Tech! That processor will serve you well in any AI project."

  The Bat Maker walked out of the store, carrying his purchase with a mixture of amazement and amusement. *This is easier than I thought it would be.* He activated his quantum interface, already pnning how these chips would revolutionize his technology.

  As he shifted from the universe, he couldn't help but marvel at the irony, the most advanced computer components he's ever seen, bought as easily as groceries.