Can we have come more details on the Forged in Fire please, the current citation, (which was plonked on the end of the existing introduction) seems to imply the laser pistols were first established in the novel, which they were not. --8of5 20:20, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

The "Forged in Fire" citation (merged from the "hand laser" stub") seems to be the earliest chronological use of Starfleet's 'laser' weapons -- AT2Howell's version mentioned them in use in 2218, all the other references deal with the 2240s-2250s.

I'd welcome some clarification on the FiF reference, i didn't read the book, I was cleaning up the articles. -- Captain MKB 20:54, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Ok, I've just searched and the first hand laser reference comes in chapter 1 of the story (set in 2218) and was referred to as being owned by the Orion freebooter, D'Jinnea. The second reference takes place in chapter 5 (in 2248), where during an Orion attack on the Ganjitsu colony and his home, Hikaru Sulu wondered what Captain Hunter and the crew of the Aerfan would do (i.e. "If Hunter were here, she would leap out of hiding with hand lasers blazing") The same chapter also features Qagh and his Orion friends armed with hand lasers.

So in short the 2218 reference would indicate that hand lasers were in use by the Orions (and possibly the Klingons) by that time. The 2248 reference would also indicate that they were in Starfleet use by that time. --The Doctor 22:39, 1 May 2008 (UTC)