P.S. I thought I would just add that the 'lasers' used in TOS The Cage, and the plasma weapons used in ENT Broken Bow are a good example of that bridging thing - before ENT established that Earth had Phase technology in the 2250s, some people speculated that the early Federation and Earth starships were armed with lasers and nuclear weapons.
I remember some people felt uneasy that ENT has particle weapons and antimatter torpedos, and wanted something more primate and Babylon 5 like. I was one such person.
Now, it seems like these weapons existed alongside their particle weapon equivalents. An example of how history does not necessarily bridge together in a linear way - the idea that Pike's Enterprise may have had laser hand weapons in their lockers, as well as perhaps a selection of other types of weaponry fits with real human history.
I'm not sure what the current Pocket Books continuity has to say on the subject
