So the best ending is to let Oralech barely beat you in the final Rite, and then persuade him to let you choose (option 2 AFAIR, not manipulation, the honest one). Personally, I've liberated everyone except Ti'Zo, Sandalwood and Bertrude (choosing myself after the final Rite).
I believe that is because some of them didn't participate in those other contingency plans. For example, Bae was a peaceful spirit, it makes sense that she spoke out during the peaceful Plan A and that she tried to calm tensions during the kinda violent Plan B, but she had no buisness getting involved in the all-out confrontation that was Plan C. Bertrude was a writer, she made propaganda about the peaceful revolution, as she had promised to Volfred. If the revolution became violent, it makes sense that she didn't want to be involved any further. At least I'm guessing that's the logic ^^
