Membrane conversion is a modification to the lining of the alveoli within the lungs. The alteration is such that gaseous exchange can take place in fluids as well as gasses. One major implication of this modification is that the character with membrane conversion can breathe in water as if it were air.

The ability to breathe in water is not perfect, however. While gasses can be exchanged with a liquid solution, it occurs at a slower rate than with air. Most physical abilities and all metabolic processes are affected.

To go from a gaseous environment to a liquid environment results in an instant adjustment of attributes as is seen below. Going from a liquid environment back to a gaseous one can be done instantaneously, but it takes a full five combat turns (15 seconds) before the character's attributes revert back to their normal values.

Note that quickness adjusted in this fashion also affects reaction.

Selma

[Well, for one thing, you can go places you normally wouldn't be able to go. Think about it. I can think of one particular island that doesn't normally expect too much company to just stroll out of the water and up onto the beach.  Think of what you could do over there!]

Lynx

[Don't think about what you could do over here. We've already shot plenty of people like you who thought they could just stroll out of the water and up onto the beach.]

Council-Sec1

[Let me withdraw my earlier suggestion.]

Lynx

[Remember, chummers, you may be able to stroll on the bottom of the ocean with this augmentation, but once you head back into the air again, you're a fish out of water until your metabolic rate climbs back to normal.]

Malice